Images and caption from CBC - 23 historical black Canadians you should know He was born to a prominent family in Toronto. Appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt as the First Black Federal Judge. The federal government is not exempt from widespread change, and defunding the police also includes reducing the powers of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and Canada Border Services Agency. Canada has a problem with addressing race , from delayed action on missing and murdered Indigenous women, girls and two-spirit people to the lack of federal race-based data collection. He forgot us in the assembly of his first Cabinet. The Black History Month Opening Ceremony and Awards. Pioneering Chemist Who Invented a Synthetic Cortisone, The Real McCoy Who Invented the Automatic Lubricating Cup. The crush of people at the venue was overwhelming, and the room was unbearably hot. There is a saying that “a fish rots from the head down,” meaning that leadership may sometimes be the root of an organization’s or country’s failure. Join us in recognizing these Great Black Heroes. Both Trudeau and Ien were seated, and it was difficult to see over the throng of people standing. “It’s a very Canadian tradition to speak in platitudes, to refer to the underground railroad and to speak about Canada as a haven and a place that acknowledges its past mistakes,” notes Robyn Maynard, author of Policing Black Lives. Sadlier says that while the stamps help promote nationwide awareness of Black History Month, most Canadians have little-to-no knowledge of the role African-Canadians played in shaping the country. He found hundreds of uses for lowly crops such as peanuts and sweet potatoes, revitalized farming in the south and enhanced the education of thousands of Black students. But the circumstances that promoted this engagement felt distasteful and inappropriate. Two days after the sit-down interview, I saw familiar faces at the government reception. Black people often discuss experiences and matters of race with one another using coded language when in public. Following… Black History Moments This was the first time a Canadian prime minister attended an African Union Summit, with travel to both Ethiopia and Senegal. Defunding the police also includes reducing the powers of the Canadian Security Intelligence Service and Canada Border Services Agency, Jason Kenney and Big Oil are counting on the world failing to avert climate disaster, Investigation: Montreal journalists face police intimidation, brutality when reporting at protests, 'Dollarama is our Amazon': Warehouse workers organize against unsafe conditions, 'misery wages'. The white guilt and shame — reminiscent of many racialized people’s historical experiences of racism — came as no surprise. The First African-American to represent New York in the United States House of Representatives. She was fined $20 and convicted of defrauding the Government of Nova Scotia of the additional one-cent tax for seats in the “whites-only” section. The event’s main attraction was Trudeau’s sit-down interview with Canadian broadcast journalist and cohost of The Social, Marci Ien. As I walked in and engaged with colleagues and friends, I wondered out loud at the incoherence of Trudeau speaking at a Black History Month event given recent events. This site looks as many of the Black heroes in the course of history, pioneers and ground breakers in different fields. To then use Black Toronto’s basketball heroes to further Trudeau’s apology tour felt like compounded racism — it questioned the intelligence of Black communities. Desmond was dragged from the theatre by police and spent the night in jail, where she chose to sit upright in the cell with her white gloves on in a show of dignity. Irrespective of the actions of our leaders, all Canadians have an ethical obligation to do what’s right by Black people in this country. In order to effect change within society, it was necessary to be a part of the Government that could make that change happen. “The expectation by the originator in 1926 is that people would be working, learning, studying, sharing, gathering, and documenting black history year round,” she says. Ien asked what so many of us had sitting in our minds and hearts. The tension was thick, and it felt as though hundreds of people were holding a collective breath. In 1882, he was hired to help bring 3,000 head of cattle from the U.S. to what later became the Bar U Ranch in Southern Alberta. He also pioneered steer-wrestling, winning his first competition at the 1893 Calgary Fair and setting a precedent for a future highlight of the Calgary Stampede. We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. Many have gone unrecognized for their contributions, but their significance is now being rediscovered. Those I could see around me winced, and I experienced a delayed sense of elation and shock. Great American Athlete and the Breaker of the Color Barrier in Major League Baseball, The Voice of the Nation, as an Author, Actress and Social Activist, The First Black United States Air Force General, The Hall of Fame Baseball Player Who Broke the All-Time Home Run Mark, One of the Most Influential Social Activists in the History of the United States, She Went From Being a TV Anchor to One of the Biggest Media Moguls in the World, An Olympic Boxing Champion and the Greatest of All Time, The Spokeswoman for a Generation in the 1960’s, Noted Civil Rights Attorney and the First Black Supreme Court Justice, Considered the Most Dominant Basketball Player of All Time. Hawa Y. Mire is a critical writer, strategic senior leader and community organizer based on the indigenous lands of Tkaronto/Toronto. Is that not the way of Canadian norms? Many have gone unrecognized for their contributions, but their significance is now being rediscovered. Welcome to Great Black Heroes. Great Female Inventors “Inspirational Canadians like Viola Desmond and John Ware are part of Canada’s rich culture and history,” Peter MacKay, Minister of National Defence and Regional Minister for Nova Scotia, said in a press release. This includes personalizing content and advertising. I had not witnessed a standing ovation but rather attendees at an event clapping at its rapid, uncomfortable conclusion. Professional Wrestling Online Museum, Adam Clayton Powell was the most significant Black political figure of his time, Bass Reeves is a legend of the west, one of the first Black lawmen in the region, Bayard Rustin was an unknown hero of the civil rights movement of the 1960's, Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. was the first Black United States of America Air Force General, Bessie Coleman was a pioneer and innovator as a woman in the field of aviation, Charles Drew pioneer the field of blood plasma research and the modern blood bank, Charlie Sifford was a pioneer in the world of golf, the first Black to play on the PGA tour, Don Cornelius was a television pioneer, bringing Black music to the mainstream, Don Shirley is one of the most gifted musical geniuses of the 20th Century, Doris Miller is the Black cook who became a hero during the attack on Pearl Harbor, Elijah McCoy’s scale of his ingenuity and the quality of his creations bear his name, Ella Baker, renown as a civil rights pioneer, struggled against sexism within the movement, Fred Jones is considered one of the history’s most significant and diverse inventors, Frederick Douglass was the most well-known Black abolitionists in the US, George Washington Carver was a pioneering agricultural scientist and researcher, Hank Aaron was an all-time great hitter in Major League Baseball and home run king, Harriet Tubman was an escaped slave who helped other slaves escape to freedom, Jackie Robinson broke the color line in baseball & became a political & social pioneer, Jan Matzeliger invented the automated shoe laster and revolutionized the shoe industry, Jesse Owens became an American hero, winning four gold medals in the Olympics, Joe Louis became the first Black hero for the whole United States as a boxing champion, Johnny Bright was one of the greatest players in college football and CFL history, Josephine Baker was a famed entertainer, a singer, dancer and French WWII spy, Langston Hughes was one of the greatest writers/poets of the Harlem Renaissance, Larry Doby was the first Black player in Major League Baseball’s American League, Lewis Latimer drafted patents anddesigned a long-lasting carbon filament for light bulbs, Lloyd Hall was a pioneering chemist, helping to improve food industry health conditions, Malcolm X was one of the most influential activists in the history of the United States, Marian Anderson was one of the most gifted and admired singers of the 20th Century, Matt Baker is often considered the first known successful Black comic book artist, Mathew Henson was the co-discoverer of the North Pole along with Admiral Perry, Maya Angelou was the voice of the nation, both as an author, actress and social activist, Nina Simone spoke for a generation of young people during the turbulent 1960's, Oprah Winfrey has gone from being a tv anchor to becoming a media mogul, Percy Julian was a giant in the field of synthetic chemistry and cortisone, Rosa Parks helped to set off the civil rights movement, refusing to give up her bus seat, Sam Lacy was a pioneer in the field of sports reporting, using his column as a bully pulpit, Satchel Paige is remembered as one of the greatest pitchers to ever play baseball, Thurgood Marshall was the first Black Justice of the United States Supreme Court, Wendell Scott was a pioneer in the sport of auto racing, the first Black NASCAR driver, Wendell Smith acted as the voice of Black America, fighting against MLB segregation, William Hastie had a distinguished career as a politician, educator and jurist, Willie O’Ree was a hockey trailblazer, the first Black player in the NHL, Wilt Chamberlain is recognized as one of the greatest basketball players in history. It took months for me to better understand what had transpired in that room of heat and shame. We waited for minutes it seemed , and as the platitudes continued, the tension persisted. Canada also has a problem with platitudes , prone to making remarks or statements intended to stifle or quell social or emotional unease without providing any concrete changes or action. Often it requires safety and energy to process the emotions and experiences of anti-Black racism with other Black people. Sadlier is herself a groundbreaking African-Canadian. I missed much of the preamble, as people began to move through the room and settle in. Critical politics has always been about the will of the collective — not the will of the the most powerful individuals. Two days later Mary Ng, the minister for small business, export promotion, and international trade; Ahmed Hussen, the minister of families, children and social development; and the prime minister hosted a reception following a trip to Africa. We breathe just fine with acknowledgements, platitudes, and scripted statements and appearances from our Black superheroes and celebrities — but without action, these are rendered meaningless. History of Spies Read a speech delivered by Devon Clunis, Chief of the Winnipeg Police Service, at the Black History Month 2013 launch reception. In this time of COVID-19, we must heed calls to stop sharing health data with police. * By continuing, you agree to be subscribed to our weekly newsletter. All levels of government have a role to play here , and municipalities can reduce and defund their police force. February is Black History Month, a time to reflect on the stories, experiences, and accomplishments of Canada's black community. These are the heroes who used Sports to batter down the walls of racism. She was a singer, a dancer and an activist, but she would become the voice of the nation and a Poet Laureate, She overcome childhood abuse to become one of the leading media titans in the world, A noted singer and dancer, she had to move to Europe to gain respect and acclaim and would become a spy and and a civil rights activist, An author and poet, he came to symbolize the voice of the Harlem Renaissance, She was renowned as a singer, but is remembered more as a voice of the anger and frustration of the Civil Rights era.