[flickrslideshow acct_name="58115594@N04" id="72157625996382159/"] ________ Ottawa has a thriving black community whose history in the region stretches back to before the arrival of Lt. Col. John By. While much is published, there is something to be said about sitting down with someone and listening to their personal story. I met with Thomas Barber, a descendant of Alexander Rogers (b. Kentucky, 1865), to talk about the history of the Barber family which spans from the USA of the late 1800s to Ottawa in the early 20th century. Barber gave an enthusiastic and knowledgeable account  as he described the spaces that his family occupied in their daily lives. Two of Barber’s uncles were respected business owners, and both lived and worked in parts of the city that have seen a great deal of change over time. Barber’s Uncle Jack ran a bicycle business at 135 Nelson Street, out of a modest house which was at the time a neighbourhood gathering spot. Sadly, the house was destroyed and replaced with a parking lot. Uncle Jack’s own home, located at 19 St Joseph Street, met a similar fate — it is now the parking lot for De La Salle High School.