‘It’s appalling’: Family of track legend Harry Jerome urging Canadian government to get his name right

The late Harry Jerome is a Canadian legend – but some, including the government, keep calling him by the wrong name.

Valerie Jerome is trying to set the record straight regarding the name of her record-setting older brother.

“It’s Harry. He was named after our father, Harry,” Valerie told CTV News.

Harry Jerome grew up in North Vancouver and won an Olympic bronze medal in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. He also set multiple sprinting world records throughout the 1960s. However, some federal websites, including Parks Canada, refer to Harry as “Henry.”

“Henry was never even uttered in our home, ever,” said Valerie.

Valerie says she was most shocked when she noticed the “Henry” reference on the copyright page of the book she wrote about her own brother.

“It’s appalling,” said Jerome. “It’s a book about Harry and I feel very undermined.”

The book’s publisher, Goose Lane Editions, tells CTV News the copyright information was issued by Library and Archives Canada.

“When we receive that, they’re a very credible source,” said publisher Sussane Alexander. “When we receive the data, we assume that it was correct. And we just inserted it as fact.”

Alexander says she’s spent the past few days reaching out to organizations to try and fix the error. She says Wikipedia, the Canadian Olympic Committee and Library and Archives Canada have updated their records.

CTV News reached out to Library and Archives Canada, but did not receive a response before deadline.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) also updated its website after CTV News reached out for an explanation of why they were using the name “Henry.”

While it’s unclear the origin behind the confusion, CTV News has learned that CBC produced a radio program in 1980 on Canada’s Greatest Athletes featuring “Henry” Jerome. Also, in British tradition, “Harry” is considered a nickname for “Henry.”

For example, Prince Harry’s birth name is Henry.

“I think it seems to be a very English thing to want to anglicize what somebody’s name is,” said Jerome.

Valerie says she hopes the federal government will act quickly and remove “Henry” from all references to her brother.