Christie Pits

About Christie Pits

A gritty ride through Toronto’s immigrant neighbourhoods, Christie Pits tells the incredible true story of when young Jewish and Italian immigrants squared off against Nazi-inspired thugs on the streets of Toronto. This is the history of a gruff and unrecognizable Canada— one of ‘swastika clubs’ and public bigotry. A homemade swastika flag flown at a public baseball game was the spark that found tinder in these untenable and hateful conditions. What followed was the worst race riot in Canadian history. Archival research and first-hand interviews lend historical depth to an unknown story of resistance against hatred in uncertain times.

What People are Saying…

“Though the characters are fictional, they feel like fully fleshed out human beings, from the nuance of the Yiddish humour to the menace of the discrimination that subtly or overtly plagues their lives on a daily basis.”

- Sequential Magazine

“The decision to present this important story as a historical comic book was ingenious. It reads like fiction, but is all fact.”

- Irving Abella

“There have been other histories of anti-Semitism in Toronto and Canada during the 1930s, but none as creative as Jamie Michaels’s Christie Pits… The story he skilfully tells is well-researched with an array of fascinating characters that leap off the page owing to the realistic and vivid illustrations of Doug Fedrau. A significant and worthy literary achievement that will enlighten readers of all ages.”

- Allan Levine

“This graphic novel is a gathering of sharply drawn characters, both wise and wise-cracking. The language is a whirlwind of sarcasm, humour, and repartee. It is also a precursor to the Holocaust and the Canadian complicity in it. The novel both immerses us in the moment and makes us keenly aware of the inexorable doom of the Holocaust waiting around the corner.”

- David Matas

“Christie Pits is a history lesson disguised as a graphic novel. Using details ripped from the headlines, Jamie Michaels pieces together the compelling story of the Christie Pits Riot, a shocking display of anti-Semitism that shook 1930s Toronto. Michaels’ deft hand combines extensive archival research with well-crafted fictional characters that bring this story, carefully illustrated by Doug Fedrau, to life for readers of all ages.”

- Historica Canada

“Christie Pits is a riveting fictional examination of a nightmarish chapter in Canadian history. Peppered with surprising moments of humour and peopled with rich, complex characters, this is a vital, beautiful book.”

- Suzette Mayr