February is Black History Month! In celebration, we’ll be showcasing Black individuals who have contributed to Canadian society with weekly updates to this page. You’re invited to reflect on Black people who have inspired you and add your suggestions for inclusion using the Padlet link below.
How to participate
Suggest an individual to be highlighted for Black History Month on Padlet
Famous Black Canadians in Art & Politics
Jean Augustine is a former Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister of Canada. In 1993, Augustine became the first Black woman elected to the Parliament of Canada. In addition, Augustine worked as the Chair of the National Liberal Women’s Caucus, Secretary of State for Multiculturalism and the Status of Women, Chair of the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and Deputy Speaker. Augustine also holds an honorary doctorate of law at the University of Toronto.
Edward Mitchell Bannister is a Canadian oil painter, born in St. Andrews, New Brunswick in 1828. Bannister was known for his landscapes and some of his artworks can be seen in the Smithsonian American Art Museum and the New Brunswick museum. In addition to painting, Bannister was an outspoken advocate for the end of slavery and worked to better the lives of African-Americans.
Michaëlle Jean is a Canadian journalist and documentarian. She is the first Black Governor General, and was in this position from 2005 - 2010. She was also a popular commentator on CBC. She also worked for Radio-Canada and hosted her own show titled ‘Michaëlle.’ She has won numerous awards, including the Amnesty International Journalism Award. In addition, Jean created several documentaries such as “Haiti dans tous nos rêves” in 1995.
Famous Black Canadians in Media
Amanda Parris has made a great difference in Black representation in the arts. Not only does she write a column every week for CBC Arts that highlights the art of under-represented Canadian talent, but she also hosts three shows on CBC which celebrate pop culture and highlight voices that are often overlooked. On top of that, she is also a playwright and hosts a radio show on CBC called “Marvin’s Room”. Amanda Parris has made a huge commitment to representing Black artists through her passion for entertainment.
Carrie Best founded “The Clarion” in 1946: the first Black-owned newspaper in Nova Scotia. She specifically focused on Black women, whose voices were the most suppressed and ignored. The paper once featured Viola Desmond, a Black woman who sat in the “whites-only” section of a movie theatre in Nova Scotia in protest of segregation. Best also started her own radio show on CBC in 1952 called “The Quiet Corner”, which sought to amplify music and poetry of Black Canadians.
Winnie Harlow is a model and an inspiration to young girls everywhere who do not fit the standard societal beauty. She showcases her talents and natural beauty in her own way inspiring others to do the same.
Famous Black Canadians in Sports
Angela James has been recognized as the Wayne Gretzky of women's hockey and is one of the first three women to be inducted into the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame.
Crystal Emmanuel is a Canadian sprinter competing in 200-metre events. She is a champion in both the 100m to 200m as of July 2018 and holds the 200m record for Canada.
Damian Warner Warner is deemed Canada’s all-time best decathlete. His participation at the 2020 Olympics proved his talents and hard work. He won the gold medal, setting an Olympic record in this decathlon. Warner is one of the only four decathletes to reach 9000 points in this event.
Famous Black Canadians in the Sciences
Dr. Douglas Salmon (1923 - 2005)
Dr. Salmon was Canada's first Black surgeon. He was a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons and a fellow of the American College of Surgeons. In recognition of his outstanding stature and service to the community, he was awarded the Canadian Black Achievement Award, Medicine.
Dr. Salmon was also an accomplished pianist and had formed a musical group, "Doug Salmon & his Orchestra," which entertained at various functions in and around Toronto. Douglas also became a protest leader on the Race Discrimination Committee, which battled for the rights of blacks to enter Toronto's Palais Royale to see jazz greats such as Duke Ellington.
Elijah McCoy (1843 - 1929)
McCoy was an African-Canadian mechanical engineer who invented an industry-changing “oil-drip cup,” device for steam-powered engines, and eventually registered more than 50 patents. His devices for locomotive and ship engines significantly changed the transport industry in the late 1800s. In September 2001 he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame in Akron, Ohio.
Dr. Ingrid Waldron (MA, PhD)
Dr Waldron is a professor in the Faculty of Health at Dalhousie University and the director of the NGO Environmental Noxiousness, Racial Inequities & Community Health Project (The ENRICH Project), which investigates the socio-economic, political, and health effects of environmental racism in Mi’kmaq and African Nova Scotian communities. The ENRICH Project formed the basis of Dr. Waldron’s first book which inspired the 2020 Netflix documentary “There’s Something in the Water”.
Check out some of these additional upcoming Black History Month events happening at U of T:
Restore Celebrates Black Futures Month - Wednesday, February 16th, 2022 from 12 – 1 p.m. ET
Facilitated by Yamikani Msosa, this online event is for Black students at U of T and is a celebration of Black joy and an opportunity to honour our shared strength.
Register for Restore Celebrates Black Futures Month nowAddressing Anti-Black Racism at the Intersections: Stories, Advocacy and Actions - Thursday, February 24th, 2022 from 10 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. ET
Join U of T’s Anti-Racism and Cultural Diversity Office (ARCDO) as we explore stories, strategies and resources to address anti-Black racism as it intersects with forms of gender-based discrimination. This online event will feature a keynote presentation from Professor Moya Bailey, followed by a screening of the film HERStory in Black.
Register for Addressing Anti-Black Racism at the Intersections now