Behind the Man is a unique biography of Alberta political figure John Lee Laurie, a key proponent of Indigenous rights in the 1940s and 1950s. Before 1961, Indigenous people were allowed to vote in Federal elections only if they agreed to give up their treaty rights and leave behind their homes and families. Laurie was instrumental in securing amendments to the Indian Act which allowed Indigenous people to access the unfettered vote.

Ruth Gorman worked tirelessly alongside Laurie during these years, and was herself a major force in mobilizing public opinion. Gorman did not lay claim to these efforts, but remained a passionately vocal supporter of John Laurie. She began work on a book about Laurie but as she neared the end of her life became overwhelmed by the project’s scope. She reached out to Dr. Frits Pannekoek to assist her in the book’s completion.

As Dr. Pannekoek sorted through Gorman’s extensive material, he quickly realized that her project was both a biography and an autobiography—the story was as much Gorman’s as it was Laurie’s. In the tradition of her time, she had taken the position of "the woman behind the man," but in telling Laurie’s story she had found a way to tell her own.

Behind the Man introduces Ruth Gorman as one of Alberta’s fascinating historical figures—a heroine struggling to balance work and home while facing the inequitable gender and power structures that surrounded her and reminding us that there is always more than one view on history.

As Dr. Pannekoek began to sort through Gorman's many boxes of material, he quickly realized that this book was both a biography and an autobiography; the story was as much Gorman's as it was Laurie's. In the tradition of her era, Gorman had taken the position of "the woman behind the man," but she was nonetheless proud of her life's work, and found an "acceptable" way of telling her own part in the story.

Behind the Man introduces Ruth Gorman as one of Alberta's most interesting female historical figures - a career woman struggling to balance home life and work obligations, overcoming frustrations at her hard work being overshadowed by a more visible figure, and reminding us that there is always more than one point of view when it comes to recording history.

Dr. Ruth Gorman, O.C., B.A., LL.B (1914-2002) was a proud lifelong Calgarian. She enjoyed being the editor and publisher of the magazine My Golden West. Throughout her professional life, Dr. Gorman willingly provided volunteer services for Aboriginal issues, the disabled, and others in need. She was honoured with the title of Queen Mother of the Cree and Princess of the Stoney Indian Tribe of Alberta.

Ruth Gorman's profile page

Dr. Frits Pannekoek was born in Holland and educated in Canada at the University of Alberta and Queen's University (PhD). From 1975 to 1979, he was Chief, Historical Research Branch for Parks Canada in Winnipeg. In 1979, he was appointed Director, Historic Sites Service of Alberta's Department of Culture and Multiculturalism. He has written a number of articles for historical periodicals and has served as editor of Prairie Forum. He now lives in Edmonton.

Frits Pannekoek's profile page