Taking a New Look at a Familiar World

---

Related Resources

Who Killed William Robinson? Race, Justice, and Settling the Land: A Historical Whodunit

web.uvic.ca/history-robinson/../index.html

William Robinson, a black man who had fled persecution and slavery in the United States prior to the Civil War, was murdered on an island in British Columbia in 1868. This site gives you a wealth of historical data about the diverse population who had settled the island as well as the larger society. It invites you to speculate not only about who killed William Robinson but also about how he lived. Although this site was created by history professors, it provides the raw materials for understanding the fundamental theme of sociology: Everyday social life is the product of a complex interplay between societal forces and personal characteristics.