BLACK HISTORY MONTH: KEY FIGURES TO HONOUR AND REMEMBER

Harriet Tubman

Harriet Tubman was an abolitionist and social activist born into slavery. She later became famously known as a "conductor" on the underground railroad as she helped numerous others escape.

Carrie Best

Best was a human rights and civil rights activist and journalist. She co-founded the Clarion, the first Black-owned newspaper in Nova Scotia that advocated for equity.

Portia White

White was one of the first popular Black-Canadian concert singers. Her talent for classical singing won her international recognition. In 1995, the Canadian government named her a “person of national historic significance.”

Donald Oliver

Famous Canadian senator/politician and lawyer. He was the first Black male to sit in the Senate between 1990 and 2013.

Donovan Bailey Bailey moved to Canada as a teenager and once held the world record for the 100-metre sprint. He is a highly celebrated Black track athlete.

Mifflin Gibbs

He was a businessman that moved from the U.S. to British Columbia amid rising racial tensions. He became a prominent member of the Black community by encouraging others to become involved in politics.