Celebrating Black Canadians Making History
From inventing the potato chip to successfully performing the first open heart surgery, life as we know it would look very different without the amazing inventions and incredible individuals that have come from the black community. The black community has faced oppression and discrimination every step of the way; yet with sheer determination, they persisted in spite of the challenges they faced and that they continue to endure.
As much as many want to assume that racism is a bygone remnant of a past time, it is very much alive and well. During the month of February, we honour and observe Black History Month as a time to acknowledge, celebrate, and recognize the ongoing and past contributions of black Canadians. This month, let’s all take a minute to recognize the sacrifices and contributions black Canadians have made so that life could be a bit better for ALL of us.
Viola Davis Desmond [1914 - 1965]
In 1946, Halifax-born business woman Viola Desmond was en route to Sydney, NS when her car broke down in New Glasgow. She was told the repair would be a few hours, so she went to see a movie at the Roseland Theatre. She requested a ticket on the main floor but the ticket seller informed her that she couldn’t sell those tickets to “people of your colour”. Viola decided to sit on the main floor anyways. When the manager confronted her, she offered to pay the 1￠ tax difference between a balcony and main floor seat but he wouldn’t let her and the police were called. Viola was charged with “attempt to defraud the Provincial Government”. She paid her $30 fine and attempted to appeal her conviction twice in later years. She was pardoned 63 years later and in 2018 appeared on the ten dollar bill as the first Canadian woman and person of colour on our currency.
Oscar Peterson [1925 - 2007]
Oscar Peterson was a Montreal-born international jazz legend. Often remembered as “ the man with four hands”, Peterson was an accomplished jazz pianist and composer. He was a noted jazz educator and advocate for racial equality. According to the Canadian Music Hall of Fame, Peterson’s “Hymn To Freedom” became one of the crusade songs of the civil rights movement led by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and is still performed by choirs worldwide. He also composed a salute to his beloved Canada, titled “The Canadiana Suite”, in the early 1960s. Peterson appears on more than 200 albums with other artists, including Ella Fitzgerald, Duke Ellington and Louis Armstrong. He was one of the first recipients of the Governor General’s Performing Arts Award for Lifetime Achievement, just one of many awards and achievements he earned throughout his career.
Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean [1957- Present]
A prime example of a modern-day successful black Canadian woman is the Right Honourable Michaëlle Jean. Originally born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Michaëlle Jean and her family immigrated to Canada in 1968. Michaëlle Jean has since spent her life devoted to Canadian rights and activism. From spending a decade building a network of shelters for battered women and children, to leading a promising and successful career in journalism, to becoming the 27th Governor General and Commander-in-Chief of Canada in 2005, she has yet to slow down. Michaëlle Jean’s achievements are incredible and deserve to be admired and emulated.
Rosemary Brown [1930 - 2003]
Politician, writer and educator are but a few words to describe the phenomenal Rosemary Brown. Born in Kingston, Jamaica and ultimately immigrating to Canada with her family, Rosemary has done much for this country. “In 1956, she helped found the British Columbia Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (BCAACP) which worked to provide housing and employment opportunities for Black people and introduce Human Rights Legislation in Parliament”(https://bcblackhistory.ca/rosemary-brown/). In 1972 she entered the provincial political arena, running for and winning the Vancouver-Burrard riding. She retired from politics in 1988 to take on a professorship at Simon Fraser University in the department of Women’s Studies. Some of her notable accomplishments include being the recipient of the 1973 United Nations Human Rights Fellowship, the Order of Canada (the second highest honour for merit in Canada), the Order of British Columbia, and the National Black Coalition Award.
It is crucial that the spirit of “Black History Month” lasts not just for a month, but is honoured every single day. Taking the time to educate ourselves on both the oppression faced by black Canadians and the incredible accomplishments of individuals who have paved the way for future generations, as well as uplifting our black colleagues and friends in their endeavours helps to contribute to the progression of Canadian society.