On this day, the 50th anniversary of Canada’s Flag, we reflect on the contributions of Black people to Canadian society through elected or appointed office…
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There is a journey of commitment and hard work for all those who choose public life, and Black Canadians have persevered – and excelled. From William Peyton Hubbard we reach Michael Thompson; from Zanana Akande we come to Margarett Best; from Keith Forde there is an unwavering line that leads to Devon Clunis.
Here are some Black “Firsts” in Canada:
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Saint-Firmin Monestime (1909-1977): Haitian-born doctor and first Black mayor of a Canadian municipality (Mattawa, Ontario, 1964-1977)
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Lincoln MacCauley Alexander (1922-2012): Toronto-born lawyer and elected first Black member of Canada’s federal parliament (1968-1980)
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Leonard Austin Braithwaite (1923-2012): Born in Toronto of West-Indian parents, he was elected the first Black member of a Canadian provincial legislature (Ontario, 1963-1975).
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Rosemary Brown (1930-2003): Jamaican-born Brown was the first Black woman elected to a Canadian provincial legislature (British Columbia, 1972-1986), and also the first Black woman (and only the second woman) to run for leadership of a Canadian federal political party (the NDP, in 1975).
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Jean Augustine (born 1937, Grenada): In 1993 she was elected the first Black woman member of Canada’s federal parliament (1993-2006), and also the first to serve as a federal cabinet minister (2003).
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Michaëlle Jean: Born in 1957, the Haitian-Montrealer was the first Black Governor-General of Canada (2005-2010).
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