Fred Landon

Who was Fred Landon?

Fred Landon, FRSC was a Canadian historian, librarian, journalist and specialist in African Canadian history. He was born in London, Ontario in 1880 and died in 1969. He married twice.

Landon graduated from the University of Western Ontario in 1906. For ten years he worked as a journalist for the London Free Press. In 1916 he became chief librarian at the London Public Library where he established a local history collection.

After completing his M.A. in history at the University of Western Ontario, Landon was appointed the university's first full-time librarian in 1923, a position he held until 1946 when he became university vice-president. Professor James J. Talman replaced Landon as university librarian. Landon retired in 1950.

Landon made a significant contribution to the history of Ontario, particularly that of southwestern Ontario, producing over 300 publications, most of which appeared in the periodical Ontario History and Inland Seas. His most notable work was the five volume The Province of Ontario; a history, 1615-1927, co-edited with Jesse E. Middleton in 1928. He pioneered the study of African Canadian history.

Landon served as president of the Ontario Historical Society from 1926 to 1928.