10 Notable Black Canadians throughout history you need to know about

Black History Month matters because Black Canadians have shaped every part of our country. From civil rights and politics, to arts, sports, science, and social justice, their contributions have made this country what it is today. Yet too often, their stories are still under recognized, or just flat out missing from what we learn in school.

So, this month, we are proud to honour 10 notable Black Canadians throughout history you need to know about, including trailblazers, changemakers, and leaders whose achievements helped pave the way for future generations. 

By sharing their stories, we aim not only to celebrate their lasting impact, but also to recognize the resilience, excellence, and influence of Black Canadians who have helped shape this country. Their legacies remind us that Black history IS Canadian history, and is absolutely worth learning about, remembering, and celebrating.

Afua Cooper (b. 1957) Historian & Poet

Afua Cooper’s work reshaped how Canadians understand slavery in this country, a history often denied, or minimized still to this day.

Born in Jamaica, Afua migrated to Canada in 1980. She is a working professor whose preeminent research focuses on slavery in Canada, Black resistance, and the African diaspora. Beyond academia, Afua Cooper is also an accomplished poet and cultural activist, using art and storytelling to amplify Black voices and lived experiences. She has published 13 books across such genres as history, poetry, fiction, and children’s literature and is a recipient of the Portia White prize (see #6).

Through her writing, teaching, and advocacy, she has played a crucial role in challenging myths about Canadian history and ensuring that Black contributions and struggles are acknowledged.

Bromley Armstrong (1926–2018) Labour & Civil Rights Activist

Bromley Armstrong was a lifelong activist, who challenged discriminatory hiring practices and helped push forward anti-racism work in Toronto’s labour movement and beyond.

Born in 1926 in Jamaica, Armstrong immigrated to Canada in the late 1940s. He quickly became involved in labour unions and human rights advocacy, using both as platforms to challenge racial discrimination in employment, housing, and public spaces.

Armstrong is especially known for his role in exposing discriminatory business practices in Toronto during the 1950s and 1960s. He helped organize non-violent protests and “sit-ins” that revealed how Black customers were being denied service - actions that led directly to stronger human rights legislation in Ontario

Wilson Brooks (1924–1997) Educator

Born in Windsor, Ontario, in 1924, Brooks served in the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II, becoming one of the first Black commissioned officers in an RCAF bomber squadron.

After the war, Brooks broke barriers in education. He became the first Black teacher hired by the Toronto public school system and went on to be the first Black principal in the Toronto District School Board when he was appointed principal of Shaw Public School in 1971.

Beyond the classroom, Brooks was deeply involved in community activism and human rights. Alongside Dr. Daniel G. Hill, he co-founded the Ontario Black History Society in 1978, an organization dedicated to preserving and promoting the history and heritage of Black Canadians. He also played a significant role in advocating for anti‑discrimination laws and helped secure official recognition of Black History Month in Toronto.

Leonard Braithwaite (1923–2012) Politician

Leonard Braithwaite was instrumental in ending racially segregated schools in Ontario, an often forgotten chapter of Canadian history.

He is also the first Black person elected to a provincial legislature in Canada (Ontario, 1963). 

Born in 1923 in Toronto, Braithwaite built his career as a teacher before entering politics. In 1963, he was elected as a Member of Provincial Parliament (MPP) in Ontario, representing Etobicoke. During his time in office, he became a powerful voice against racial discrimination.

One of his most significant achievements was leading the successful effort to end racially segregated schools in Ontario in 1965, making the province the last in Canada to officially abolish school segregation. His advocacy helped pave the way for more equitable education across the country.

Viola Desmond (1914–1965) Civil Rights Pioneer

Often compared to Rosa Parks, Viola Desmond challenged racial segregation in Nova Scotia in 1946, nine years before Parks’ protest. Her case helped spark Canada’s civil rights movement, yet for decades her story was largely absent from history books.

In 1946, Viola Desmond was arrested in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, after she refused to leave a ‘whites-only’ seating section at a movie theatre. She was not charged for defying segregation directly, but instead for a minor tax violation, an unjust use of the law to enforce racial discrimination. Her courageous stand occurred nine years before Rosa Parks’ protest in the United States and became a powerful symbol of resistance against racism in Canada.

She is the first Canadian woman to appear on a Canadian banknote, which was issued for the first time on March 8th, 2016. 

Portia White (1911–1968) Classical Singer

One of the first internationally acclaimed Black Canadian performers, White broke racial barriers in classical music. Despite her global success, she faced systemic racism at home and remains underrepresented in Canadian arts history.

Portia White was a world-renowned Canadian contralto singer and one of the most celebrated Black classical vocalists of the 20th century. She gained widespread recognition after her debut performance in Toronto in 1941 and went on to perform across Canada, the United States, Europe, and the Caribbean. She later returned home to Nova Scotia, where she dedicated herself to teaching and mentoring young musicians, leaving a lasting impact on Canada’s artistic community.

White’s legacy lives on. The Nova Scotia Talent Trust, which helped support her career, continues to give the ‘Portia White Award’ to artists who show "exceptional commitment and potential in voice”. 

Mifflin Gibbs (1823–1915) Lawyer, Judge, Diplomat

A leader in Black communities in British Columbia and beyond, Mifflin Gibbs worked tirelessly as a politician, businessman, and defender of human rights.

He became one of the first Black judges in the U.S, and worked across borders for civil rights and economic justice. 

Born in 1823 in the United States, Gibbs moved to Victoria, British Columbia, in the 1850s after facing racial discrimination. In Canada, he became a highly successful entrepreneur, co-owning businesses and helping to build Victoria’s Black community. He also co-founded The Colored Citizen, one of the first Black-owned newspapers in the Pacific Northwest.

Mifflin Gibbs made history in 1866 when he was elected to the Victoria City Council, becoming one of the first Black elected officials in Canada.

Mary Ann Shadd Cary (1823–1893) Publisher, Educator, Abolitionist

The first Black woman publisher in North America, Shadd Cary lived and worked in Ontario, advocating for Black self-sufficiency, education, and abolition.

She challenged both racism and sexism within reform movements. In addition to the publication of her newspaper, The Provincial Freeman, Shadd Cary also opened racially integrated schools and encouraged Black settlers in Canada to pursue independence and political engagement. Later in life, she returned to the United States, where she became one of the first Black women to earn a law degree, continuing her lifelong fight for civil rights and equality.

Thornton Blackburn (1812–1890) Community Builder

An escaped enslaved man who settled in Toronto, Thornton Blackburn helped establish one of the city’s first Black communities. He also operated Toronto’s first taxi service and supported freedom seekers arriving via the Underground Railroad.

Born into slavery in Kentucky, Thornton Blackburn and his wife Lucie Blackburn fled to Detroit and later to Ontario in the 1830s. With the help of abolitionists, they reached Toronto, where they were able to live freely.

Blackburn’s taxi service (Toronto’s first), known as the City of Toronto and Suburban Cab Company, became very successful and helped provide employment for others in his community.

Additionally, Blackburn set a landmark legal precedent that protected freedom seekers from being returned to slavery, while actively supporting his community by offering affordable housing and sanctuary to dozens of others seeking safety and a fresh start in Canada.

Marie-Joseph Angélique (c. 1705–1734) – Enslaved Resistance Figure

Marie-Joseph Angélique is remembered today for resisting her oppression.

Her story was uncovered by Dr. Afua Cooper, whose book on Canadian slavery, “The Hanging of Angélique: The Untold Story of Slavery in Canada and the Burning of Old Montreal” broke new ground in the study of Canadian and Atlantic slavery and women’s history. 

Angélique lived in Montreal and was subjugated to a society where slavery, both of Indigenous and African people, was legal, though too often erased from Canadian history books. In 1734, Angélique was accused of setting a large fire that destroyed much of Montreal. Many historians believe the accusation was tied to her known resistance to enslavement and her attempts to escape.

Angélique was tried and punished by colonial authorities. While the full truth of what happened remains debated, her case reveals the harsh realities of slavery, racism, and injustice in early Canada.

The stories of these 10 notable Black Canadians are just a small part of a much larger legacy that continues to shape Canada today. By honouring their contributions, we acknowledge both the progress that has been made and the work that still lies ahead. 

Let these stories inspire ongoing reflection, meaningful conversations and a continued commitment to celebrating and uplifting Black voices every day of the year.