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CELEBRATING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF Canadians Black PAST TO PRESENT BY: LEBENE LAWUU
Black Canadians have made enormous contributions to Canada throughout history. Sadly, these narratives are hardly mentioned or discussed. Diversity is part of our Nation’s incredible identity. In this segment, we showcase several people who have crossed barriers and paved the way for us.
Rosemary Brown
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Rosemary Brown was an educator, feminist, writer, politician, professor, and the first Black woman to be elected to the Canadian provincial legislature. She was one of the founding members of the British Columbia Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (BCAACP), which aimed to free-up accommodation and employment opportunities for Black people in British Columbia. She was also named chief commissioner of the Ontario Human Rights Commission. As a woman-rights advocate in Canada and worldwide, the Rosemary Brown Award for Women was created in her honour. It celebrates a BC-based woman or organization that advances the principles and beliefs that Rosemary Brown championed.
Image Courtesy of: © Canada Post Corporation, 2009
Donovan Bailey
Sprinter Donovan Bailey is one of Canada’s most influential and famous athletes. Becoming a professional sprinter in just a year, he soon became a world champion. In particular, he was known for his top speed in his 1996 Atlanta Olympics sprint; the fastest athlete ever recorded at the time. He was the first Canadian to officially crack the 10-second 100-metres mark. He was introduced to the Canada Sports Hall of Fame in 2004 and joined the Ontario Sports Hall of Fame in 2005. His athletic talent helped re-establish Canada as a competitor on the international stage.
Born to West Indian parents, the Honourable Lincoln MacCauley Alexander was a Canadian lawyer and an influential advocate for social inclusion in Canada. He was the first Black Parliament Member of the House of Commons and the first Black Federal Cabinet Minister. Alexander was an activist for the equal treatment of Black Canadians and also concentrated on issues affecting the youth. With all his honours, racial inequality remained his focus, accepting the appointment as chair of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation in 2000. He was elected as the 24th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario; one of Mr. Alexander’s career’s highest distinctions and a proud period in Canadian Black History.
Ms. Deborah Beaver
Ms. Beaver was born in Barrhead and is a descendant of the early Black pioneers. To inform Canadians about her remarkable family history, as a fourth-generation Albertan, she helped form the non-profit body, “In Their Own Words” . The collective gathers interviews with Black Alberta’s seniors to retain this history for current and future generations. She believes that it is vital that we respect Black immigrants’ early development, and that this information is included in the provincial school curriculum. This history is a critical aspect of the Canadian story and must be both preserved and communicated.
Lincoln MacCauley Alexander
Born to West Indian parents, the Honourable Lincoln MacCauley Alexander was a Canadian lawyer and an influential advocate for social inclusion in Canada. He was the first Black Parliament Member of the House of Commons and the first Black Federal Cabinet Minister. Alexander was an activist for the equal treatment of Black Canadians and also concentrated on issues affecting the youth. With all his honours, racial inequality remained his focus, accepting the appointment as chair of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation in 2000. He was elected as the 24th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario; one of Mr. Alexander’s career’s highest distinctions and a proud period in Canadian Black History.
