Sam Forster | |
|---|---|
| Born | December 17, 1996 |
| Education | University of Alberta , University of Toronto |
| Occupations | writer, journalist, cultural critic, poet, and war correspondent |
Samuel Forster is a Canadian American journalist, poet, and cultural critic whose 2024 book, Americosis, was awarded the Sutherland House Prize for non-fiction. [1] [2]
Forster's second book, Seven Shoulders, documents him wearing Blackface while researching race relations in America.
Forster has a Bachelor's of Arts from the University of Alberta and a master's degree from the University of Toronto. [3]
While in Toronto, Forster was a graduate associate at the centre for ethics where he researched the application of neuroscientific evidence in criminal court proceedings. [4]
Forster has contributed to various print and digital publications, including Canada's National Observer [5] and City & State, primarily writing about culture and economic affairs. [6]
In 2022, Forster worked for The Buenos Aires Times, an English-language newspaper owned by Perfil. [7] During his time in Argentina, Forster focused on politics and foreign affairs, frequently interviewing diplomats such as Indonesian ambassador Niniek Kun Naryatie. [8]
During the spring of 2023, Forster travelled throughout Ukraine, covering the Russo-Ukrainian War as a correspondent for The National Post [9] and Unherd. [10]
In the aftermath of the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, while reporting on pro-Palestine demonstrations in Montreal, Forster published video footage that became the centre of controversy in the Canadian media. [11] The footage garnered response from Canadian Minister of Immigration Marc Miller [12] as well as Alberta member of parliament Mike Lake. [13]
In the winter of 2024, Forster travelled to Lebanon and Israel to report on the ongoing Arab-Israeli conflict for The Spectator . [14] [15]
In January 2024 Forster released his first book, Americosis, which received the first Sutherland House non-fiction prize from its publisher. [16]
The American Conservative celebrated Forster's debut book. [17] It got similar praise from The American Spectator . [18]
Forster's second book, Seven Shoulders: Taxonomizing Racism in Modern America, generated significant international controversy upon its announcement due to Forster's use of blackface. [19] [20] The work chronicles Forster going undercover as a Black man while traveling across the United States in order to document modern forms of racism. Forster cited the work of prominent civil rights leader and Martin Luther King Jr. ally John Howard Griffin, who wrote a similar book titled Black Like Me , as literary inspiration. [21] However, while John Howard Griffin took anti-vitiligo medication, along with hours under an ultraviolet lamp, to darken his skin, Samuel Forster utilized maybelline, a wig, and colored contacts. The book was self-published, and described in its original Amazon description as "the most important book on American race relations that has ever been written." [22]
In a public statement issued after the book's release, Forster emphasized the importance of engaging with black writers and leaders on the issue of race relations, pointing out that Seven Shoulders features interviews with multiple black subjects. He also clarified that the work was meant to be understood as a piece of gonzo journalism rather than as a conventionally structured non-fiction book. [23]
In August 2024, Canadian Affairs announced that Forster had joined the outlet as a staff reporter. In a public statement posted to X, the outlet's publisher Lauren Heuser said, "We're incredibly excited to welcome @ForsterSam to our team. Sam has the intrepid nature we look for in our reporters." [24] [25]
In December 2024, Forster gained membership to Canada's Parliamentary Press Gallery, the foremost journalistic organization in the country. [26]
In January of 2025, Forster travelled to Latvia to report on Operation Reassurance, Canada's military mission to enhance NATO's troop presence on the Russian border. [27] [28]
In June of 2025, Forster temporarily returned to his home province of Alberta in order to report from the 51st G7 Summit in Kananaskis. [29]
In addition to his journalistic output, Forster has released numerous pieces of creative writing.
In October of 2024, Forster performed at the Confessions reading series in Manhattan, New York City. This event was hosted at Sovereign House, a popular venue amongst indie artists in New York City's Dimes Square microneighborhood. Forster returned to New York in January of 2025 to perform another Confessions reading alongside indie film director Peter Vack. [30]
Forster has also released poetry through Spectra, a digital literary magazine that has published numerous alt-lit writers, such as prominent American poet and novelist Tao Lin. [31]