New book about the Belfast Riot of 1847 to be launched in March
A new book titled The Belfast Riot of 1847, written by Dr. Callum Beck, sessional lecturer at UPEI, and published by Island Studies Press, will be launched in March in Charlottetown and Summerside.
The Charlottetown launch will be held on March 5, 2025, at 7 pm, in the Faculty Lounge, SDU Main Building Room 201, UPEI, and the Summerside launch will be held on March 30, at 1 pm, at the Eptek Art and Culture Centre.
On March 1, 1847, Prince Edward Island experienced the second-worst election riot in Canadian history. During the Belfast Riot, about 200 Scottish Protestants and 300 Irish Catholics got into a brawl, resulting in at least three men dead and up to 100 others injured. This event set the stage for the hardening of the sectarian conflict between Protestants and Catholics on Prince Edward Island for the next 125 years. In The Belfast Riot of 1847, Beck examines the social and political conditions that led to the riot, introduces readers to the major players on both sides, provides a detailed account of its unfolding, and takes a nuanced look at who was to blame.
The Belfast Riot of 1847 was published with the support of a SSHRC Exchange Publication Award from the Office of the Vice-President, Academic and Research at UPEI.
Beck was born and raised in Charlottetown, PEI. He completed a BA in Philosophy at UPEI, a Master of Arts in Religion at Emmanuel School of Religion in Tennessee, and a PhD at Open University in the UK. He has served as a pastor and as a sessional faculty member at UPEI. He is married to Lorraine Beck, and they have three children and six grandchildren.
Both events are free, and all are welcome. Thanks to the Bookmark and the Eptek Centre, books will be available for purchase. For more information, contact Bren Simmers at Island Studies Press, 902-566-0386 or ispstaff@upei.ca.
