Skip to Main Content

The 1918 Influenza Epidemic in Prince George: Learning Resource

A primary source analysis teaching resource about the 1918 Spanish influenza epidemic in the Prince George area

Contact us

Profile Photo
Northern BC Archives & Special Collections
Contact:
EMAIL: archives@unbc.ca

HOURS OF SERVICE:
Monday to Friday: 8:30 AM-4:30 PM
Closed Weekends & Statutory Holidays

DROP-INS:
Available for Special Collections as staffing permits. Email before arrival to confirm availability.

APPOINTMENTS:
Recommended for Special Collections. Required for archival research. Email to schedule.

LOCATION: UNBC Prince George
Geoffrey R. Weller Library
4th Floor (Room 5-423)

Current Primary Sources

How do local primary sources about the COVID-19 pandemic compare with the primary sources of the 1918 Spanish influenza epidemic?

  • The Prince George Citizen (and other local news outlets)
  • Websites
  • Television/internet broadcasts
  • Government news releases

What other current primary sources can you think of?

Discussion

How can you compare your lived experiences of COVID-19 with that of the experiences of people who lived during the Spanish flu epidemic?

Think about:

  • Political motives - For example, why might there be and/or have been a lack of transparency about what was happening?
  • Fear and myth-making - For example, in 1918 there were myths about the epidemic created by World War I enemies
  • Impacts of the lack of current knowledge about treatment and spread of false information and "cures"
  • Information sharing - how did this differ between 1918 and 2020 and what is the impact of those differences?
  • Lessons learned - what lessons were learned from the 1918/19 influenza pandemic and how did societies change as a result? What have you learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and how do you think societies should change to avoid or lessen the impact of future pandemics?

Examples of COVID-19 Historical Documentation

"20/20 Distance: A COVID-19 Digital Archive". Southwestern University Special Collections & Archives. https://2020distance.omeka.net/
 
“Foxfire COVID-19 Oral History Project,” https://www.foxfire.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Foxfire-COVID-19-Oral-History-Project_-Description.pdf.
 
“Help Capture History: Documenting COVID-19.” Southwest Seattle Historical Society - Log House Museum.               https://www.loghousemuseum.org/blog/help-capture-history-documenting-covid-19/.
 
“Documenting COVID-19 in Niagara · Brock University Library.” https://exhibits.library.brocku.ca/s/COVID-Niagara/page/home.
 
"Due to COVID-19: Documenting signs of the pandemic." https://duetocovid19.com/
 
Society of American Archivists. "Documenting in Times of Crisis: A Resource Kit". https://www2.archivists.org/advocacy/documenting-in-times-of-crisis-a-resource-kit
 
“Share Your Story.” CMHR.  https://humanrights.ca/node/913.