HRI Leadership

Historical Research International Inc. is headed by our Managing Director, Dr. Joanne Collins-Gonsalves. She is the author of the following books: Iris de Freitas Brazao, Legal Luminary and Trailblazer: Caribbean, Canada, Wales, England, 1896-1989 (2023); Portuguese in Business in Guyana 1835-1935: A History of Entrepreneurship, Expansion and Diversification (forthcoming 2024); and From Ashes to Ferro-Concrete: A History of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Guyana) 1914-2014 (2014).

Dr. Collins-Gonsalves holds a PhD in history and has more than twenty (20) years of experience in historical research and writing. She is the author of over thirty (30) research projects, books, book chapters, academic articles, research papers, conference papers, and biographical profiles in total. Dr. Collins-Gonsalves has also served as a Contributing Author with the Oxford University Press, for the Dictionary of Caribbean and Afro-Latin American Biography.

Dr. Collins-Gonsalves is a Research Fellow and Canadian Representative of the Farquharson Institute of Public Affairs. She currently serves on the Advisory Board of the Journal of the Royal Nova Scotia Historical Society, and the Education Committee of the Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia. She is also a member of the Rotary Club of Edmonton, Alberta (Canada), the Canadian Business History Association, the Black Canadian Studies Association, and the Association of Caribbean Historians, among others.

PUBLICATIONS AND LECTURES

Dr. Joanne Collins-Gonsalves

Book Cover Iris de Freitas Brazao Legal Luminary & Trailblazer 1896-1989 by Dr. J. Collins

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Selected Books, Research Projects, Publications, and Guest Lectures by Dr. Joanne Collins-Gonsalves

Books

Collins-Gonsalves, Joanne. Iris de Freitas Brazao, Legal Luminary and Trailblazer: Caribbean, Canada, Wales, England 1896-1989. Edmonton: Atlantic Academic Publishing, 2023.

Collins-Gonsalves, Joanne. The Portuguese in Business in Guyana 1835-1935: A History of Entrepreneurship, Expansion, and Diversification (forthcoming 2024).

Collins-Gonsalves, Joanne. Public History in Guyana: An Analysis of Landscapes and Initiatives of the Museums, The National Trust, Specialty Libraries, Research Centres, and Organisations (forthcoming 2025).

Collins-Gonsalves, Joanne. From Ashes to Ferro-Concrete: A History of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (Georgetown, Guyana) 1914-2014. Georgetown: Guyana Heritage Society, 2014.

Book Chapters, Research Papers, and Peer Reviewed Biographical Profiles

Research Paper and Conference Presentation: Collins-Gonsalves, J. "Cultural and Historical Legacies in Guyana: Public History and Collaborative Futures." August 7, 2022 delivered at The Inaugural Caribbean Festival of Arts as Prism Conference: 20th Century Festivals in the Multilingual Caribbean, August 2022.

Research Paper and Conference Presentation: Collins-Gonsalves, J. "A Historical Analysis of the Progression of Portuguese Bakeries in Georgetown, Guyana, 1880s-1890s." Conference of the Guyana Institute of Historical Research, June 24, 2022.

Research Project: Collins-Gonsalves, J. "The Roman Catholic Church in Guyana,1760s-1880s: An Early Historiography." Gorsebrook Research Institute, Saint Mary’s University, Halifax NS, Canada, 2021.

Invited Lecture: Collins-Gonsalves, J. "Portuguese in British Guiana in the 19th Century: Culture, Religion, and Business." Guyana Speaks, August 15, 2021.

Panel Discussion: Collins-Gonsalves, J. "Portuguese in the Caribbean" for the Portuguese Studies Review Special Edition: Historical and Contemporary Identities in the Lusophone World edited by Robert A. Kenedy and Fernando Nunes, Panel Discussion, May 12, 2021.

Research Paper and Conference Presentation: Collins-Gonsalves, J. "Public History in Guyana: Museums, The National Archives, Specialty Libraries, and the National Trust." Lecture delivered at the Conference on Public History, Museums and Digital History in Latin America, International Federation of Public History, May 11, 2021.

Invited Lecture and Research Paper: Collins-Gonsalves, J. "Theatrical and Musical Performances, Dances, and Heritage Sites in Georgetown, British Guiana 1880-1910." National Trust of Guyana Webinar for the International Day for Monuments and Sites (IDMS) 2021, Theme: “Complex Pasts: Diverse Futures”, April 23, 2021.

Guest Lecture: Collins-Gonsalves, J. "A Journey of Hope, Portuguese Immigrants in British Guiana: Introduction and Assimilation." Guest Lecture, Saint Mary’s University, Halifax Nova Scotia, Canada, March 1, 2021.

Journal Article: Collins-Gonsalves, J. “Historical Perspectives of the Portuguese in the Caribbean (Guyana, St. Vincent, Antigua, Grenada, Bermuda, St. Kitts, Trinidad and Tobago)” In Robert Kenedy and Fernando Nunes (eds.) Identities in the Lusophone World: Impacts of Education, Economics, Nationalism, Religion and Settlement. Portuguese Studies Review Special Issue 28, no. 2 (2020): 31-98.EBSCOLink

Seminar Presentation: Collins-Gonsalves, J. “The Portuguese Immigrants of British Guiana and the Wider Caribbean in the Nineteenth Century, 1830s-1890s.” Lawrence D. Stokes Seminar, Department of History, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, January 31, 2020.

Peer Reviewed Biographical Profile: Collins-Gonsalves, J. “Ambassador Philip Allsopp.” In Dictionary of Caribbean and Afro-Latin American Biography, eds. Franklin W. Knight and Henry L. Gates. New York: Oxford University Press, 2020.

Book Chapter: Collins-Gonsalves, J. “The Roman Catholic Church in Guyana: A Historical Overview.” In Aspects of European-Guyanese Heritage. Georgetown: European Union, Guyana Heritage Society and National Trust of Guyana, 2017.

Book Chapter: Collins-Gonsalves, J. “Garlic Pork and Other Culinary Contributions of the Portuguese of Guyana.” In Aspects of European-Guyanese Heritage. Georgetown: European Union, Guyana Heritage Society and National Trust of Guyana, 2017.

Peer Reviewed Biographical Profile: Collins-Gonsalves, J. “Professor Mary Noel Menezes RSM PhD.” In Heroes of Our Nation: 50 Nation Builders of Guyana. Georgetown: Department of Culture, Government of Guyana, 2017.

Conference Presentation: Collins-Gonsalves, J. “Historical Structures of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Georgetown, Guyana: 1825-1915.” 2nd Caribbean Conference of National Trusts and Preservation Societies, Port of Spain, Trinidad, May 2016.

Peer Reviewed Biographical Profiles: Collins-Gonsalves, J. “Olga Bone”; “Winifred Gaskin”; “Andaiye” and “Jocelyn Dow.” In Dictionary of Caribbean and Afro-Latin American Biography, eds. Franklin W. Knight and Henry L. Gates. New York: Oxford University Press, 2016.

Olga Bone https://doi.org/10.1093/acref/9780195301731.013.50905
W. Gaskin https://doi.org/10.1093/acref/9780195301731.013.74011
Andaiye https://doi.org/10.1093/acref/9780195301731.013.50685
Jocelyn Dow https://doi.org/10.1093/acref/9780195301731.013.73835

Conference Presentation: Collins-Gonsalves, J. “The Entrepreneurship of Portuguese Women in British Guiana 1840-1940.” International Colloquium, Debating Women: Past and Present, Universidade da Madeira, Madeira, Portugal. June 2011.

Research Project: A Compendium of the Writings of the Honourable William Demas. His Works on Caribbean Integration, Caribbean Institutions and the Political Economy of the English-speaking Caribbean, CARICOM Secretariat, 2006.

Research Project: The Scholarly Work of the Honourable Lloyd Best: A Detailed Compendium of His Writings,1965-2005 including books, book chapters, TAPIA publications (Tapia Newsletters 1969-1981; Trinidad and Tobago Review 1977-2005), articles, booklets, and pamphlets. Research conducted in Trinidad and Guyana, CARICOM Secretariat, 2005.

Research Project and Invited Lecture: Collins-Gonsalves, J. “From Ashes to Ferroconcrete: A History of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, 1914-2004.” Feature Lecture delivered at the 90th Celebration of the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, Georgetown, Guyana. August 2004.

Research Paper and Guest Lecture: Collins, J. “History of Saint Stanislaus College.” Presented at the Annual General Meeting of the Guyana Heritage Society, April 2001. Georgetown Club, Georgetown, Guyana.

Research Project: Collins, J. A Historical Analysis of Cannons in Guyana. Prepared for the National Trust of Guyana, 2000. This was later published by the National Trust of Guyana in 2006.