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February is Black History Month. What better way to honour the occasion than by celebrating some incredible Black women in Canada who didn’t just make history—but smashed right through the barriers, pushed past obstacles, and paved the way for future generations to dream bigger?
Kay Livingstone
Kay Livingstone was a pioneering Canadian radio personality, activist, and visionary who recognized the power of community. As one of the first Black women in Canada to host a radio show, she used her platform to celebrate Black excellence and shed light on racial issues often overlooked by mainstream media.
Her impact extended far beyond broadcasting. She founded the Canadian Negro Women’s Association (CANEWA) to support and uplift Black women through education, leadership programs, and community initiatives. Later, she established the Congress of Black Women of Canada, providing a unified platform for Black women nationwide to advocate for racial and gender equality.
Livingstone’s tireless work to encourage a national discussion about the position of racialized people in society, particularly Black women, led her to coin the term "visible minority" in 1975. Today, her legacy continues through the ongoing work of the Congress of Black Women, one of Canada’s most influential advocacy groups.
Her legacy is still going strong today—thanks to her efforts, the Congress of Black Women remains one of Canada’s most influential advocacy groups.
Viola Desmond
Viola Desmond’s name is now closely tied to Canada’s civil rights movement, but for many years, her story went largely unrecognized. In 1946, she was forcibly removed from a theatre in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, for sitting in a whites-only section. Arrested and fined, her case became one of Canada’s first major legal challenges to racial segregation.
Although segregation wasn’t officially written into Canadian law as it was in the U.S., discrimination was still everywhere. Desmond’s stand forced the country to confront its own injustices. Although it took decades, Desmond was posthumously pardoned in 2010, and in 2018, she became the first Black Canadian woman featured on a banknote—the $10 bill—cementing her place in history.
Carrie Best
In the 1940s, when Black voices were often silenced, Carrie Best launched her own newspaper to expose racism and segregation. In 1946, she founded The Clarion, one of Canada’s first Black-owned newspapers, using it to highlight racial injustices.
One of the most significant cases she covered was Viola Desmond’s arrest, long before it became a national symbol of the fight against segregation.
Best later became one of the first Black columnists for a mainstream Canadian newspaper, The Pictou Advocate. She used every inch of her platform to challenge racism and advocate for change.
Her work didn’t just pave the way for future Black journalists—it proved that media could be a powerful tool in the fight for justice
Hattie Melton
During the early 20th century, many Black people in Canada were confined to low-paying domestic work with little to no job security. Hattie Melton became a key figure in advocating for fair wages, better working conditions, and legal protections for domestic workers.
Though her activism didn’t gain as much national attention as some other figures, she played an essential role in pushing forward labour reforms that improved conditions for women of colour in Canada’s workforce.
Portia White
At a time when Black musicians faced significant obstacles, Portia White defied the odds and became the first Black Canadian opera singer to gain international recognition, performing at renowned venues like Carnegie Hall.
White's success went beyond her own achievements—it paved the way for future Black artists in Canada’s music scene. Today, she’s recognized as one of Canada’s greatest vocalists.
Dr. Wanda Thomas Bernard
Dr. Wanda Thomas Bernard didn’t just break barriers—she actively dismantled them. Growing up in East Preston, Nova Scotia—a historically Black community—she saw firsthand the impact of systemic racism and economic inequality. Motivated to create change, she pursued a career in social work and became the first African Nova Scotian to hold a tenure-track position at Dalhousie University. Dr. Bernard used her platform to advocate for racial and gender equality.
When she was appointed to the Senate in 2016, she took that advocacy to a national level. She’s been vocal about employment equity, mental health in Black communities, and the need to address systemic racism in Canada’s institutions. Through her policy work and community initiatives, she’s making sure that future generations don’t have to fight the same battles.
Rosemary Sadlier
As a historian, author, and activist, Sadlier played a pivotal role in getting February officially recognized as Black History Month in Canada. Serving as the president of the Ontario Black History Society for over two decades, she relentlessly advocated for the recognition of Black contributions to Canada’s history.
Beyond her work in education and activism, Sadlier has written extensively on Black history in Canada, ensuring that the stories of Black Canadians are preserved and shared with future generations. Her commitment to social justice and equity continues to influence national discussions on race and representation.
The resilience, courage, and unwavering determination of these extraordinary women (and many more) have shaped our past and continue to inspire our present and future. As we commemorate Black History Month in Canada, we should continue to honour their legacies through education, advocacy, and community initiatives.
The contributions of Black Canadians should be celebrated not just this month, but every single day.
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