George and Rue
Encyclopedia
George and Rue is a novel by George Elliott Clarke
, published in 2005 by HarperCollins Canada.
The novel is based on the true story of George and Rufus Hamilton, two Black Canadian
brothers who murdered a taxicab
driver in Barker's Point, New Brunswick
in 1949. Later the same year, both of the brothers were convicted of murder and executed
. Clarke, whose mother was the Hamilton brothers' cousin, uses a mixture of historical record and creativity to imagine the brothers' lives and to seek understanding of what led them to commit murder.
Clarke's earlier poetry book, Execution Poems (2001), contains poetry inspired by the same case, much of which was originally intended for publication in George and Rue.
George Elliott Clarke
George Elliott Clarke, OC is a Canadian poet and playwright. His work largely explores and chronicles the experience and history of the Black Canadian community of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, creating a cultural geography that Clarke refers to as "Africadia".-Life:Born to William and Geraldine...
, published in 2005 by HarperCollins Canada.
The novel is based on the true story of George and Rufus Hamilton, two Black Canadian
Black Canadian
'Black Canadians is a designation used for people of Black African descent, who are citizens or permanent residents of Canada. The term specifically refers to Canadians with Sub-Saharan African ancestry. The majority of Black Canadians are of Caribbean origin...
brothers who murdered a taxicab
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
driver in Barker's Point, New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
in 1949. Later the same year, both of the brothers were convicted of murder and executed
Capital punishment in Canada
Capital punishment in Canada dates back to 1749. Before Canada eliminated the death penalty for murder on July 14, 1976, 1,481 people were sentenced to death, with 710 executed. Of those executed, 697 were men and 13 were women. The only method used in Canada for capital punishment in nonmilitary...
. Clarke, whose mother was the Hamilton brothers' cousin, uses a mixture of historical record and creativity to imagine the brothers' lives and to seek understanding of what led them to commit murder.
Clarke's earlier poetry book, Execution Poems (2001), contains poetry inspired by the same case, much of which was originally intended for publication in George and Rue.