In February 2008, theCouncil onAfrican CanadianEducation (CACE), theAfrican Canadian ServicesDivision (ACSD) of theNova Scotia Department ofEducation and the Afri-centric Learning Institute(ALI) challenged studentsin Nova Scotia to exploreand discuss the contri-butions that African NovaScotians have made to thehistory, heritage and cultureof our province. Studentssubmitted essays andphotographs, interviewedcommunity elders and nom-inated their own candidatesfor ‘Notable Nova Scotian’.Submissions were judgedby a volunteer panel ofeducators and the bestsubmissions in the opinionof the judges were presentedwith an ALI Student Awardat a gala celebration in June.The Awards recognize

students and teachers whohave made a positive con-tribution to the discussionabout African Nova Scotianhistory in our schools. TheStudent Challenge and theAwards promote a betterunderstanding of AfricanCanadians and highlighttheir history, heritage,culture, traditions andcontributions to society.The gala was held at

Graham Creighton JuniorHigh and Dr. Walter Bordenserved as Master of Cere-monies. The Awards werepresented to students bydistinguished Notable NovaScotians including Dr.Daurene Lewis, Dr. WayneAdams, Mr. Gordon Earle,Dr. Les Oliver and Dr. EdithCromwell. Special guestsfrom CACE included Ms.Delvina Bernard, Directorand Mr. Charles Sheppard,Chairman. Dr. Patrick

Kakembo, Director of Afri-can Canadian Services,brought greetings from theMinister of Education.Guest of Honour, the Hon-ourable Mayann E. Francis,Lieutenant Governor ofNova Scotia, presented theClass Participation Awardsand gave the final address.Award recipients receivedbursaries ranging from$50.00 to $500.00 and gifts

of autographed ‘NotableNova Scotian’ posters.Teachers received bursariesfor classroom resourcematerials. Fifteen IndividualAwards were presented tostudents and four Class Par-ticipation Awards werepresented to teachers. Awardrecipients represented manydifferent schools from acrossthe province. Participantsranged in age from ten to

eighteen years old andgrades six to twelve. Cashbursaries totaling $1,900.00were awarded. See page twofor a complete list of 2008Award recipients.The Honourable Mayann

E. Francis was piped intothe auditorium by CicelySparks and joined thepresenters and specialguests on stage. The schoolband played a rousingrendition of O Canada anddrummer Conjon Jallahbrought the crowd to its feetwhen he played a traditionalAfrican drum welcome forHer Honour. Recipients -presented their entries onstage prior to receiving theirAwards. There were manyproud family members andfriends also in attendance.Her Honour’s closing re-marks were particularlyinsightful and are reprintedin full on the following page.

The African Nova Scotian History & Heritage Student Challenge

African Nova ScotiansYOU HAVE CHALLENGED SCHOOL CHILDREN TOLOOK BEYOND THE WHO’S AND WHEN’S OF HISTORYAND INSTEAD DELVE INTO THE WHYS AND HOWS.

—The Honourable Mayann E. Francis, O.N.S., DHumL Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia, June 13, 2008

The inaugural ALI Student Awards were presented on June 13, 2008. Front row, left to right; Tylisha Way; Marlisha Mintis;Tatiyauna Talbot; Denzell Desmond; Johnathan Hiles; Her Honour, The Honourable Mayann E. Francis, O.N.S., DHumL,Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia; Sydney Hamilton; Alessandra Pagnotella; Toni Marsman; Shatori Willis. Back row,left to right; Kara Hyland; Brent Robertson; Curtis Whiley; Taylor Maxwell and Greg Pelly.

The Times of

A proper understandingof African heritage in thisprovince needs context.How did the people get

here? Why did theycome? Why did somestay when many left?

ONLY WITH THEANSWERS TO THESEQUESTIONS CAN THEFULL STORY BE TOLD.

Master of CeremoniesDr. Walter Borden.

Council onAfrican-Canadian Education

African Canadian Services Division

Conjon Jallah (left) drumming a traditional African welcome.Award recipient Shatori Willis (right) presents her photo entry.

Times Series 2009

Piper Cicely Sparks

The 2009 ALI StudentAwards will be

presented to studentsand teachers whosesubmissions to the

African Nova ScotianHistory & Heritage

Student Challenges, inthe opinion of the

judges, best exemplifythe contributions thatAfrican Nova Scotians

have made to thehistory, heritage and

culture of our province.Bursaries totaling

$3,000.00, gifts andclassroom resources will

be presented to Awardrecipients at a ceremonyto be held later this year.

Go ahead. Take theChallenge. See pages5 to 11 for details.

Take the2009 History &Heritage Student

ChallengesBursary Prizes

Totaling $3000.00!

“As the Queen’s representative in Nova Scotia I am delightedto join with you today to celebrate young writers who areseeking to understand the past so that they can make sense ofthe present and plan for the future.I want to commend the Africentric Learning Institute and the

Times of African Nova Scotians for sponsoring the ALI Historyand Heritage Awards. You have challenged school children tolook beyond the who’s and when’s of history and instead delveinto the whys and hows. It is a far more complete examination.For a proper understanding of African heritage in this

province needs context. How did the people get here?Why did they come? Why did some stay when manyleft? Only with the answers to these questions can thefull story be told.A complete and deep understanding ofone’s heritage is essential. For if you do not know thepast, how can you judge if progress has been made?ManyAfrican-Nova Scotian families have deep roots

in our province, tracing lineages back for more than 200years. The ancestors of these families came to NovaScotia on the promise of freedom and better life for themselves and their children. Weknow those promises were not always kept. That is a fact, a part of the historical record.It cannot be denied. For many years, African-Nova Scotians were marginalizedeconomically, socially and politically.But these were not people who easily surrendered to such treatment. Instead, African-

Nova Scotians built their own institutions - churches, community halls and schools. Theybuilt their own businesses, their own communities, their own lives. In these places, apeople flourished. Leaders arose, skills developed and a culture was born.This is the heritage you students were asked to examine. It is a heritage at once both

complex and simple. Complex because that heritage is made up of tens of thousands ofindividuals, each acting on their own desires with their own abilities and motivations.Simple because this heritage involves universal human themes - survival, adaptation andtriumph.I applaud the teachers for embracing this program and for getting their students to go

beyond the simple memorizing of places and dates. History yields no lessons unless it isproperly understood and analyzed.African heritage is not static. It is still being written. For new chapters are being added

every day to the story of people of African descent in North America and here at home.We are still celebrating firsts - the pioneers who blazed the trail for others to follow, oftenunder difficult circumstances. Tremendous responsibilities rest with “firsts” becausethey want to ensure that they will be followed by seconds, thirds and fourths.It is a long and proud heritage. Embrace it, learn from it, understand it. For it is the

story of us all.Thank You. Merci. Tapadh leibh. Asante.”

The Times of African Nova Scotians�2�

Class Participation Award RecipiantsHigh School - Lockview High School; Grade 11 African Canadian Studies class; Mrs.Wendy Driscoll, teacher. Recipients in this class were Kyle MacNeil, Interview with Dr.Lorne White and Brent Johnson for his Notable Nova Scotian nomination Ruth Johnson.Entries of note from this class included Tylisha Way for Just Because I’m Black... and KaraHyland for Writing Racial Slurs on a Bathroom Wall.

High School - Runner-up. Cobequid Educational Centre; Grade 11 African CanadianStudies class; Mr. Foster, teacher. Recipients in this class were Taylor Maxwell for herphoto of the Maxwell Family and Sydney Hamilton for her Notable Nova Scotiannomination of Michael Duck.

Junior High School – St. Patrick’s-Alexandra School; Grade 5/6 and junior highpartners. Mr. Myra, teacher. Recipients in this class included Marlisha Mintis for herNotable Nova Scotian nomination Maxine Tynes. Entries of note from this class includedFavour Fagbile for History of the Black Loyalists; Johnathan Hiles for African NovaScotian Hockey Players and Tatiyauna Talbot with partner Denzell Desmond for Back toAfricville.

Junior High School - Runner-up. Oxford School; Grade 7; Mr. Noble. Recipients ShatoriWillis and Toni Marsman for their Clues in Old Photos. Special Guests and ‘Notable Nova Scotians’ presented the ALI Student Awards. Seated

(left to right): Dr. Edith Cromwell and Her Honour, the Honourable Mayann E. Francis,Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia. Standing (left to right): Dr. Wayne Adams;Mr. Gordon Earle; Dr. Walter Borden; Dr. Daurene Lewis and Dr. Leslie Oliver.

2008 ALI History & Heritage Award Recipients

Marlisha MintisSaint Patrick’s-Alexandra SchoolAge 12Grade 7NominatedMaxine Tynes

Brent RobertsonLockview High SchoolAge 16Grade 11 ACSNominatedRuth Johnson

Taylor MaxwellCobequid EducationalCentreAge 15Grade 11Photo of Maxwell Family

Kyle MacNeilLockview High SchoolAge 17Grade 11 ACSInterview withDr. Lorne White

Toni MarsmanOxford SchoolAge 12Grade 7Photo of great-grandnannyTheresa Willis

Shatori WillisOxford SchoolAge 12, Grade 7Photo of great-grandmother Lena

Sydney HamiltonCobequidEducational CentreAge 18Grade 12NominatedMichael Duck

Curtis WhileyCharles P. AllenHigh SchoolAge 18Grade 12Nominated DeaconAubrey T. Whiley.

Greg PellyHalifax WestHigh SchoolAge 18Grade 12Interview withMs. Gloria Ann Wesley

Alessandra PagnotellaSacred Heart SchoolAge 16NominatedYvonne Atwell

For an electronic version of this publication, please emailCACE@gov.ns.ca with ‘Student Challenges’ as the subject line.

The HonourableMayann E. Francis, O.N.S., DHumL

Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia.

The Times of African Nova Scotians �3�

Yvonne Atwell was born inEast Preston, Nova Scotia in1943 and has lived there most ofher life. She is known as apolitician, running for the NovaScotia New Democratic Partyand winning a seat in the NovaScotia House of Assembly in1998. She represented the ridingof Preston and became the firstAfrican-Canadian woman tohold a seat in Nova Scotia’sHouse of Assembly.Over the years, Yvonne

Atwell has won many awards including the YWCAWoman of Distinction Award in 1998 and the Queen’sJubilee Award in 2002. She is an active volunteer andowns and manages her own consulting company. With allthat she has accomplished, Yvonne Atwell is certainly aNotable Nova Scotian.

— By Alessandra Pagnotella

Alessandra Pagnotella accepting her Award fromDr. Daurene Lewis.

Yvonne AtwellPolitician/

Businesswoman

Maxine Tynes was born inDartmouth, Nova Scotia in1949. She is an author and haswritten poems and short stories.Ms. Tynes is well-known forwriting about the experiences ofwomen and people of Africandescent. She has won a numberof awards for her writingincluding the Dennis MemorialPoetry Prize and the People’sPoet of Canada Award in 1988.Her books include Save the

World for Me, Woman Talking Woman, The Door of MyHeart and Borrowed Beauty. Ms. Tynes is the first AfricanCanadian to be appointed to the Board of Governors ofDalhousie University.

— By Marlisha Mintis

Marlisha Mintis accepting her Award fromMr. Charles Sheppard.

Maxine TynesAuthor/Teacher:

Have you ever noticed thatevery time you order a large dou-ble-double at Tim Hortons, italways tastes the same? That’s allthanks toMichael Duck, CEO ofA.C. Dispensing Equipment Inc.This multimillion dollar businessstarted with a large cup of coffeeand an even larger idea.Michael Duck grew up in a

town called Neptune on the NewJersey [USA] coast in the 1960’s.He moved to Halifax, Nova

Scotia with his family when he was 16. As a teen, Duckfelt that he was not cut out for the classroom. He droppedout of school and went from job to job until he landed a jobat a dairy. It was at this job that he discovered his truetalent, an aptitude for mechanics. Though he had no formaltraining, Duck eventually became the plant’s headmaintenance engineer.In 1985, while still working at the dairy, came the coffee

cream epiphany. As he stood in line at the local TimHortons for his daily large coffee, he realised that he alwaysfaced the same dilemma, either too much or too littlecream. Duck’s life changing idea was to create a machineto dispense precisely the same amount of cream or milkevery time.Duck spent six months developing a prototype of the

SureShot dispenser, made from a wire frame, a small timerand a 20-litre milk carton. A manager from the dairysuggested he meet with the owner of the Tim Hortonslocated on the corner of Young and Robie Streets inHalifax, which at the time was the busiest franchise in thecountry. The owner agreed to use the dispenser for a few

months free of charge to see if he liked how it worked. Heended up buying the machine and later bought a newerversion with a built-in refrigerator.For the next five years, Duck kept his day job as he built

his SureShot empire from his basement. In 1990, Duckquit his job at the dairy and hired his first employee. Thecompany’s big break came in 1995 when Tim Hortonsinstalled the SureShot in all their locations in Ontario.Within a few years, the company had outgrown severallocations and eventually built a 65,000 square foot factoryon its own eight-acre property.Today, Michael Duck’s company, A.C. Dispensing Ltd.

has many employees and he spends more than half the yeartravelling North America, meeting with clients and sellinghis SureShot system. Duck is the perfect rags-to-richesstory. He’s a notable African Nova Scotian who changedcoffee drinkers’ lives forever.

— By Sydney Hamilton

Michael DuckInventor/Businessman

Sydney Hamilton accepting her Award fromDr. Les Oliver.

Gloria Ann Wesley was bornin Yarmouth, Nova Scotia in1948. She and her older brotherwere raised by her Grandmotherand Gloria cites her as thebiggest influence in her life.Gloria’s Grandmother worked asa domestic and had to walk fivemiles into town to work everyday. Gloria was assigned choresfrom an early age includingcooking, piling wood, weedingthe garden, filling water buckets

and washing clothes. Gloria feels that these choresinstilled a strong work ethic in her.Gloria graduated from High School in 1968 and from

the Nova Scotia Teachers College in 1970. In 2002, shereceived her Bachelor of Education degree from St. FX.Gloria taught school for 34 years and retired in 2004. Atestament to her as a teacher is the number of formerstudents who still regularly contact her.Gloria started writing at a young age and by the end of

high school she had a vast collection of stories and poems,wrote a regular column for the ‘Yarmouth Light’ and wasthe editor of the school paper. In 1975 she published abook of poems entitled To My Someday Child, one of the

first books of poetry by a Black African Nova Scotianwoman. In 2002, Gloria self-published Woman, Sing andin 2007, Burlap and Lace.Gloria has devoted her life to creating cross-cultural

understanding. She is passionate about Black History andhas volunteered countless hours to various groups such asthe Black Cultural Centre, Black Educators Associationand the Black Loyalist Society. Gloria continues to writeand to volunteer in the community.

— By Greg Pelly

Greg Pelly presenting his entry prior toreceiving his Award.

Ms. Gloria Ann WesleyEducator/Author

Shatori Willis (far right), TaylorMaxwell (centre) and Toni Marsman(right) were each presented with anAward for their Old Photo entry byDr. Edith Cromwell.

The Times of African Nova Scotians�4�

A native of Halifax, RonaldLorne White was born onDecember 16, 1928. He was theson of Mrs. Izie Dora andReverend Dr. William White,pastor of Cornwallis StreetBaptist Church. Lorne was thetwelfth of thirteen children.Dr. White recollected how his

days at home as a child were verypleasant. Music was a big part ofhis life because his Mom was atrained soprano with a verybeautiful voice. Everyone in the

family had gifted voices and the family choir includedtenor, alto and bass voices. His sister Portia becamepopular and famous on an international level for hersoprano voice.In 1947, in his last year of high school, Lorne was

elected President of the Students Union. It was then that heexperienced his first taste of racial discrimination. Dr.White recalled coming home for lunch one day and beingtold that he had a telephone message. He called thenumber and found it was the parent of a friend of his. Theparent told him that his friend, who was a girl, had comehome from school crying because some of the kids atschool were giving her a hard time after she was seen withhim. The parent didn’t want her to be seen with Lorneagain, even though she could have no finer a friend thanhim. The friend was a white girl who lived only a fewblocks away from him and they would sometimes walkhome from school together. It was a simple friendship, nota relationship, but Lorne suspects that the teasing wasretaliation from a certain faction at school who hadopposed him becoming President of the Students Union.After high school, Lorne attended Acadia University

where he was an exceptional student and athlete. Hegraduated with a Bachelor of Arts in 1951 and hisBachelor of Education in 1952. Upon graduation, he wasawarded the Cox Cup and Medal. The Cox Cup and Medalare awarded to the male graduating student who has madethe most outstanding contribution to inter-collegiateathletics, other extra-curricular activities and academics.Dr. White later graduated from Dalhousie University witha Masters Degree in Physical Education and SchoolAdministration.Dr. White started teaching in the Armdale School

Section in 1952. It was there that he met his wife of 53years, Mary Hennigar. Mary was also a graduate of AcadiaUniversity and even though they had been at the samecampus for two years, they had never met there. He taughtat Major Stevens Junior High, South Armdale High

School, Main Avenue School and eventually, he becamevice-principal of Bloomfield School, the school heattended as a child.Dr. White is perhaps more well know as a singer and

entertainer than as a teacher. For twelve years, he was aprincipal performer and singer on the CBC-TV show‘Singalong Jubilee’, which featured the best singers in theregion, including a very young Anne Murray. For manyyears, Lorne, his wife Mary, daughters Holly, Shelly andLee and his sister Yvonne travelled extensively throughoutthe Maritimes, entertaining audiences everywhere. Knownas the White Family Singers, they sang at churches andcommunity events and they were hugely popular.Dr. White is often invited to schools to speak to students

about his family and the contributions they’ve made to thecountry. He speaks about the adversity which they facedand ultimately overcame.Dr. Lorne White has, throughout his life, been active in

his Church and his community. He has served asModerator of the Halifax County Baptist Association, inleadership roles in the Birch Cove Baptist Church and onthe Council of the Canadian Baptist Federation. He hasserved on the Appeals Committee and the Student LoansAdvisory Council of the Nova Scotia Department of SocialServices, the Nova Scotia Home for Coloured Children,the Nova Scotia Talent Trust, the Board of Directors ofCanada World Youth and the Nova Scotia Sport HeritageCentre. His broad range of service to church andcommunity has been recognized with awards including theQueen’s Silver Jubilee Medal, the Commemorative Medalfor the Canadian Centennial and the 125th Anniversary ofConfederation Medal. On May 10, 1993, Lorne White wasawarded a Doctor of Divinity degree by Acadia Universityfor his significant contributions to the province of NovaScotia, his role as an educator and his constructiveinvolvement in policies and activities leading to improvingracial relationships.Dr. Lorne White, an outstanding layperson, a prominent

Nova Scotian and Canadian, an influential educator, asuperb vocal artist, a community activist, a builder of social,ethnic and cultural bridges, has accomplished so much andI feel truly honoured to have met and interviewed him.

— By Kyle MacNeil

Dr. R. Lorne WhiteEducator/Singer/Community Activist.

I didn’t really know how muchDr. Lorne White had accomplisheduntil I sat down and interviewedhim.* From that interview, I wasable to put together the precedingbrief biography of his life.*Dr. Lorne White passed away onApril 14, 2008, shortly after thisinterview – Ed.

Ruth Johnson (née Brown) was born September 17,1919. Her family was one of the founding familiesof Africville. Ruth lived in Africville, wasbaptized in the Bedford Basin and attendedthe segregated school at Africville.When she was 26, Ruth married

Gerald Johnson and moved toCobequid Road where shebecame the organist atthe Cobequid RoadBaptist Church.She was anorganizer for theAfrican UnitedBaptist Associa-tion and also worked with the disabled. Ruth was wellknown and was even featured in a film about Africville.Ruth had a collection of photo albums and news

clippings about the Black community that she startedcollecting in 1939. Her artifacts have been part of finearts and cultural exhibits and most of the photos in thebook Spirit of Africville are from her collection.Ruth received many awards during her lifetime. The

Harry Jerome Award, a prestigious honour awarded foroutstanding service to the Black community, waspresented to her by the Prime Minister. She was alsogranted an honorary Doctorate of Letters by Mount SaintVincent University. Most special among her awards wasone given to her for her 42 years as organist at CobequidRoad Baptist Church.Ruth’s grandmother used to say “there is no place in the

world for nobodies but there is always some place forsomebody”. Ruth was somebody. She was well-respectedfor her faith and loved by her people and her church. RuthJohnson died February 21, 2002. I am honoured to havehad Aunt Ruth in my community and in my family.

— By Brent Robinson

Brent Robinson accepting his Award fromDr. Wayne Adams.

The monument at Seaview MemorialPark notes the Brown family as one ofthe founding families of Africville.

Deacon Aubrey T. Whiley wasborn April 10, 1912 and lived hisentire life in the Black communityof Upper Hammonds Plains. Hehailed from a long line of barrelcoopers and sawmill operators. Hisgrandfather, Deal Whiley, foundedthe first sawmill in the area duringthe early 1800’s. Over the years,fire destroyed many buildings onmy great-grandfather’s propertyincluding a pig house, the coopershop and the family home.

However, through the very hard work and the dedication ofboth Deal and his son Samuel, the mill and cooper shop wererebuilt to manufacture pickling barrels and wooden fishboxes. These products were very much in demand during thelucrative years of the cod and mackerel fisheries.

Samuel’s son Aubrey was born in 1912 and soon washelping his father with gardening, livestock and milloperations. He was only 12 years old when he hauled hisfirst load of merchandise by horse and wagon to theHalifax waterfront alone, and managed to return homesafely by nightfall. At the age of 20, Aubrey lost his fatherin a fatal mill drowning accident. Instead of breaking hisspirit, he persevered and continued running the familybusiness for many years. My grandfather was very proudof the Whiley legacy, not only for their hard work andperseverance in the mill, but also for their community worksuch as being dedicated members of the Hammonds PlainsVolunteer Fire Department.My grandfather was also a very devoted member of the

original Emmanuel Baptist Church. He became a Deaconthere in 1940 and “lived” at the church until his passing in2000. He was a respected Deacon for 60 years, a memberof the Men’s Brotherhood, Finance Committee, Board

Trustee and Church Choir. As he used to say “the race isnot to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, but to the onethat endures to the end”.

— By Curtis Whiley

Aubrey T. WhileyDeacon/Businessman

Curtis Whiley accepting his Award from Mr. Gordon Earle.

The Times of African Nova Scotians �5�

The ALI History & Heritage Student Awards are an initiative of the Africentric Learning Institute (ALI), the Councilon African Canadian Education (CACE), the African Canadian Services Division (ACSD), Nova Scotia Department ofEducation and various partners in education from around the province. The Awards were instituted to encouragediscussion about African Nova Scotian history in our schools and communities. The ALI History & Heritage StudentAwards promote a better understanding of African Canadians and highlight their history, heritage, culture, traditionsand contributions to society.The 2009 ALI History & Heritage Student Awards will be presented to students whose submissions to the African

Nova Scotian History & Heritage Student Challenges, in the opinion of the judges, best exemplify the contributionsthat African Nova Scotians have made to the history, heritage and culture of our province. Bursaries totaling $3,000.00,gifts and classroom resources will be presented to Award recipients at a ceremony to be held later in the year.

Mail all entries to:The ALI History & Heritage Challenge

PO Box 31085Halifax, Nova Scotia

B3K 5T9General Rules: The African Nova Scotian History & Heritage Student Challenge is open to all students and classesfrom all schools in Nova Scotia. Students may submit one entry to each Challenge. Teachers are invited to submit classentries. Please note limits on class entries on some Challenges. Awards will be presented solely at the discretion of theJudging Committee and the Judging Committee’s decisions will be final. Awards include a $500.00 bursary for topprize in the group Challenge, $200.00 bursaries for first place entries in each Challenge and two or more $50.00bursaries for runners-up in each Challenge. Judges will consider content, creativity, and neatness in evaluating eachsubmission. Deadline for submissions is April 30, 2009. Entries via mail only. Submissions post-marked afterdeadline date will not be considered. Be sure to include your name, address, phone number, grade, your teacher’s nameand the name of your school. Submissions will not be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed, stampedenvelope. Only Award winners will be contacted. See pages six through eleven for the 2009 Challenges.

African Canadian Services Division

Council onAfrican-Canadian Education

The African Nova Scotian History &Heritage Student Challenge

The Honourable Mayann E. Francis presented ClassParticipation Awards to Mrs. Wendy Driscoll and the Grade11 class at Lockview High School (top) and to the Grade6/7 split class at St. Patrick’s-Alexandra Junior High(centre). Dr. Patrick Kakembo (bottom) presented one ofthe runner-up Awards to Mr. Foster, Oxford Junior High.

The Times of African Nova Scotians�6�

Carrie M. Best, O.C., O.N.S.

1903 - 2001New Glasgow

Social Activist and Publisher of The Clarion.Officer of the Order of Canada. First posthumous

recipient of the Order of Nova Scotia

Publisher/Social Activist

Rev. William Pearly Oliver, C.M.

1912 - 1989Wolfville

Pastor, Educator and Social Activist.Member of the Order of Canada.

Pastor/Educator/Social Activist

Jerry Jones1869-1950

TruroA Canadian hero at Vimy Ridge who deserved

the Distinguished Conduct Medal.

War Hero

Reverend Richard PrestonUnknown - 1861

HalifaxFounder of the First African Baptist Church, theAfrican Abolitionist Society and the African

Baptist Association.

Social Activist/Church Leader

Reverend William Andrew White, BA1874 - 1936

TruroThe only commissioned African Nova Scotian

officer in WWI.

Pastor/Social Activist

Portia White1911 - 1968Halifax

Internationally renowned Contralto.The Portia White Prize for Artistic Achievementin the Arts is awarded annually in her honour.

Teacher/Classical Singer

The HonourableMayann E. Francis, O.N.S.

SydneyFirst African Nova Scotian Lieutenant Governorof Nova Scotia. Order of Nova Scotia recipient.

Lieutenant Governor

Viola Desmond1914 - 1963Halifax

Successful businesswoman and pioneerin the cosmetics industry in Nova Scotia.

Businesswoman/Social Activist

Delmore “Buddy” Daye1928 - 1995New Glasgow

Canada’s first Black Sergeant-At-Arms.Canadian Lightweight Junior Champion.

Inducted into Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame.

Boxer/Community Activist

George Dixon1870 - 1909Africville

First Black World Champion in any weight classand the first Canadian-born Boxing Champion.

World Champion Boxer

Sam Langford1886 - 1956

Weymouth FallsThe only boxer inducted into the World BoxingHall of Fame not to have won an official title.

Langford aroused so much fear in opponents thatmany boxers refused to fight him.

World Hall of Fame Boxer

Isaac C. Phills, O.C.

1896 - 1985Sydney

First African Nova Scotian invested into theOrder of Canada.

Veteran/Community Activist

William Hall, V.C.

1827 - 1904Horton Bluff

First black person, first African-Canadian andthe first Nova Scotian to be awarded the

Victoria Cross.

War Hero

Althea Pearleen Oliver1917 - 2008

Cook’s Cove, GuysboroughSocial Activist and Author. First womanModerator of the African United Baptist

Association. Inaugural recipient of the YWCACommunity Leader Award.

Social Activist/Author

African Nova Scotians have made and continue to make importantcontributions to the political, social and cultural life of our provinceand our country. Their accomplishments span all professions andevery era. Write a short essay about one of these Notable NovaScotians describing why you think his or her achievements aresignificant. Please use an accepted form of documentationincluding footnotes, endnotes, bibliography, etc. Essays may bebetween 800 and 1,500 words long. Limit: One entry per student orfive (5) entries per class.

Challenge#1 Short Essay

The Times of African Nova Scotians �7�

Beresford Augustus Husbands, O.B.E.1883 - 1969Halifax

Founder of the Halifax Colored CitizensImprovement League, Member of the Order of

the British Empire.

Businessman/Community Activist

James A. R. Kinney1897 - 1940Yarmouth

First black graduate of the Maritime BusinessCollege and first Superintendent of the Nova

Scotia Home for Colored Children.

Community Activist/Educator

James Robertson Johnston, BA, LLB1876 – 1915Preston

First African Nova Scotian lawyer and socialadvocate for the provision of accessible higher

education.

Lawyer/Educator

Burnley A. ‘Rocky’ JonesTruro

First African Nova Scotian to successfully arguea case before the Supreme Court of Canada.

Lawyer/Social Activist

Mrs. Edith H. Cromwell, O.N.S.Inglewood

One of the earliest graduates of theNova Scotia Teachers College.

Teacher

Walter Borden, C.M.

New GlasgowInvested into the Order of Canada, 2005.

Portia White Prize winner 2006.

Actor/Playwright/Activist

George Elliott Clarke, O.C.,O.N.S.

Windsor PlainsUniversity professor. Winner of the Governor-General’s Award for Poetry, the Portia WhitePrize for Artistic Achievement, the Dr. MartinLuther King Jr. Award and numerous otherawards. Canada’s hardest working poet.

Poet/Educator/Playwright

Corrine SparksHalifax

First African Canadian appointed to the judiciaryin Canada and the first African Nova Scotian

appointed to the bench.

Judge

Reverend Wellington Ney States1877 - 1927Wolfville

Missionary for the AUBA and gifted carpenter.Reverend States built or restored Baptist Churches

throughout Nova Scotia.

Pastor/Builder

Wayne Adams, C.M.

HalifaxFirst elected African Nova Scotian Memberof the Legislative Assembly (MLA) and

Cabinet Minister.

Politician

Leslie H. OliverWolfville

Professor Emeritus, Jodrey School ofComputer Sciences, Acadia.

Scholar/Educator

Daurene Lewis, C.M.

Annapolis RoyalFirst elected African Nova Scotian Mayorand first black woman Mayor in Canada.

Educator/Mayor/Artist

Don OliverWolfville

First African Nova Scotian appointedto the Senate.

Politician/Senator

Gordon EarleHalifax

First elected African Nova ScotianMember of Parliament (MP).

Politician

Sylvia HamiltonBeechville

Award winning film-maker, author and educator.

Educator/Film-maker/Writer

Edwin Howard Borden, BA, MA

1869 - 1953Truro

First African Nova Scotian university graduate.Borden graduated from Acadia with hisBachelor of Arts degree in 1892 and his

Master of Arts degree in 1896.

Scholar/Pastor

Some African Nova Scotian sports heroesare famous. The feats of boxers George Dixonand Sam Langford are well documented andlegendary. Dixon was fromAfricville and wasthe first Black World Boxing Champion inany weight class. Langford was fromWeymouth Falls and aroused so much fear inopponents that many boxers refused to fighthim. But did you know that when MarjorieTurner-Bailey was only sixteen years old andstill in high school, she became one of theyoungest athletes to ever qualify for theCanadian Olympic Track and Field team?

Marjorie Turner was one of four childrenin the only Black family in the small fishingvillage of Lockeport, Nova Scotia. Hermother and father were both descendants ofthe Black Loyalists who settled in theShelburne area in 1783. Marjorie recalls herchildhood years as happy and unremarkable.That is, until she reached high school. It wasin Grade 11 that Marjorie began herincredible journey to the Olympics.Marjorie was a great all-around high

school athlete. She excelled at soccer andshe, along with her two sisters, were thestars of the Lockeport High SchoolBasketball team when they won theProvincial title in 1964. But it was track andfield that put Marjorie in the nationalspotlight. Her Phys Ed teacher, EldonForbes, had started a track and field programat school. Mr. Forbes soon recognizedMarjorie’s special talents and together withschool principal Louis Fraser, petitioned theSchool Board to have Lockeport HighSchool enter a team in the 1964 Mt. AllisonRelays, an annual provincial track and fieldtournament. Marjorie single-handedly wonthe team trophy for Lockeport High School!She won all the running events and all thefield events. To prove that it was no fluke,Marjorie entered the biggest track and fieldevent in Nova Scotia that year, the AcadiaRelays, and did it again! She was the solerepresentative of her school and won all therunning events, the javelin and the discus.Marjorie kept training and improving her

technique. She ran the one hundred yards in11.1 seconds and the 220 in 24.7 seconds.Though she was only sixteen years old,Marjorie was named ‘Nova Scotia Athlete ofthe Year’. She also received the ‘Myrtle CookTrophy’, a national award presented to age-group athletes. That summer, at the CanadianOlympic Time Trials held in St. Lambert,

Quebec,Marjorie ran the 100meters in twelveseconds flat; good enough to place second andqualify for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. Tomostathletes, making the Olympic team wouldhave been the fulfillment of a life-long dreambut Marjorie says she was only having fun.Unfortunately, an injury prevented Marjoriefrom going to Tokyo. Though most athleteswould have been heart-broken, Marjorieremembers that her only disappointment wasnot getting to go to Japan to meet her idol,African-American sprinter Bob Hayes.Marjorie set her sights on the 1968

Olympics in Mexico. She trained hard butanother severe injury kept her at home. Thistime Marjorie was heart-broken. She retiredfrom running and in 1971, she and her new-born son Tony joined her husband inJamaica. But Marjorie’s Olympic dreamwouldn’t fade. In 1972, she and Tony movedto Vancouver, British Columbia where shebegan to train again. It was a gruellingschedule that started at 3:30 every morning.Unlike today, there was no financial supportavailable to athletes, even elite Olympicathletes. Marjorie had to squeeze her trainingin between two jobs in order to supportherself and her son. She didn’t qualify for the1972 Munich Olympics but Marjoriecontinued to train and a year later she burstback onto the Canadian sports scene. A westcoast newspaper headline described “aflashing figure from the past” winning at the1973 Vancouver Relays. Even after almostsix years away from competition, Marjorieran the one hundred meters in 11.7 seconds.To get ready for the 1976 Montreal

Olympics, Marjorie ran at track meets allover the world. She travelled to Switzerland,East and West Germany, England, Poland,Romania,Yugoslavia, Denmark, Sweden andHungary and competed at the 1974Commonwealth Games in New Zealand.

At the 1976 Montreal Olympics, Canada’spremiere female sprinter was 28 year oldMarjorie Turner. She had qualified in theone hundred, the two hundred, the 4x100relay and as an alternate in the 4x400 relay.Now all she had to do was stay injury-free.She finally succeeded. Though she won

no medals, Marjorie made the semi finals inboth the one hundred and two hundredmeters. She ran the anchor leg in the 4x100so fast that she moved the Canadian team upto fourth spot from sixth. Her time of 10.8seconds was the fastest she had ever run.She had made eight Olympic appearances inthree different events and she and her threeCanadian team mates set a Canadian recordin the 4x100 relay. Twelve years after shefirst qualified, Marjorie Turner had finallyrun in the Olympics!Marjorie continued to run and at the 1978

Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, shewon a silver medal. But her aging body andnagging injuries finally caught up to her andshe retired soon after. Her dreams oftravelling the world and running in theOlympics had come true. She has met heridol Bob Hayes and other legendary runnerslike Jesse Owens. She has travelled all overthe world and has met Prime Ministers,Premiers and Princes. Marjorie has madeenough memories to last a lifetime.In 1981, Marjorie moved back to Lockeport

and now lives within sight of the house whereshe grew up. She works at a retirement homenearby and is often asked to speak at schoolsand special events throughout the province.Among her many honours, Marjorie has theunique distinction of having been inductedinto both the Nova Scotia and BritishColumbia Sports Halls of Fame.Marjorie Turner is an inspiring role model

that has set a very high standard for all athletesto follow. She is a Notable Nova Scotian.

The Times of African Nova Scotians�8�

I want to make a differencenot just a living.

smu.ca

Where will you go?

ManyAfrican Nova Scotians are well known and their contributions noted but others haveyet to be recognized for their achievements. Who would you nominate as a Notable NovaScotian? Describe the accomplishments of anAfrican Nova Scotian, past or present, who youthink should be recognized as a Notable Nova Scotian. Be sure to include your candidate’sname, place of birth, accomplishments, awards, etc. Include a photograph if possible.

Challenge#2 Nominations for moreNotable Nova Scotians

Marjorie Turner-Bailey

High School Student Qualifies for the Olympics!

The Times of African Nova Scotians �9�

Marjorie Turner-BaileyLockeport

One of the youngest Canadian runners to everqualify for the Olympics. Competed at theOlympic, Commonwealth and Pan-Am Games.Has the unique distinction of being inducted intoboth the Nova Scotia Hall of Fame and theBritish Columbia Hall of Fame.

Olympic Athlete

Challenge#3Top 10 African NovaScotian Sports Heroes

Pictures can capture an event, person, place or time in detail and they can be studied for historical clues at leisure. We are looking forphotos of people, places or events that may offer clues about African Nova Scotian history and heritage. All categories of photos areeligible including family photos, portraits, group shots, photos of sporting events, community events and rural or urban landscapes. Senda photocopy only of your picture. Include a brief history of the photo. Who is it? When and where was it taken? What does the picturereveal? Why is it important? Sometimes a picture is informative for what’s not in it.

Operations CommitteeCommunity InvolvementProfessional Development

Curriculum DevelopmentMembership CommitteePersonnel Committee

2136 Gottingen StreetHalifax, Nova ScotiaB3K 3B3

The Black Educators Association (BEA) was founded in 1969 to assist African Nova Scotiancommunities develop strategies toward an equitable education system so that African NovaScotians are able to achieve their maximum potential. Demonstrating a strong commitment asa grass roots organization, the BEA coordinates its efforts with parent associations; schoolboards; community groups; the Department of Education, African Canadian Services Division;The Council on African-Canadian Education (CACE) and other educational bodies. The BEAis a volunteer, non-profit organization. Join one of our Committees today!

STEPPING TOWARDS THE FUTURE

“Learning is like sailing the ocean – no one has ever seen it all.”

COMMITTEES

Tel: (902) 424-7036Fax: (902) 424 0636Toll Free: 1-800-565-3398

Old Photo ChallengeChallenge#4African Nova Scotians have a

long history of excellence in sports.They have represented our provinceand our country with honour andsome have made sports history.There has been at least one AfricanNova Scotian in every professionalMajor League sport in NorthAmerica and African Nova Scotianshave had prominent roles on manyhigh school and university sportsteams. Who would be on your list ofthe Top 10 African Nova ScotianSports Heroes or Teams? Send usyour Top 10 list. Include what sporteach played and a brief biography ofyour number one choice.

This is a photo of Halifax County Councilors taken in 1916. What information can be gleaned from this picture? Seated in the front row,second from left, is George H. Diggs, Councilor for Preston, then known as District 30. Closer inspection of the historical record revealsthat the community of Preston has had an almost unbroken record of electing African Nova Scotian representatives dating back to 1887and ending with the amalgamation of Halifax Regional Municipality in 1994. Preston became District 16 in 1939 and District 8 in 1973.

Preston County Councilors: Joseph Thomas 1887 – 1899; Thomas Johnson 1899 – 1902; John Thomas 1902 – 1906; Joseph Thomas1906 – 1908; George H. Diggs 1908 – 1917; John W. Colley 1918 – 1920; George H. Diggs 1920 – 1930; Allan W. Evans 1931 – 1961;Wm. B. Thomas 1961 – 1964; Arnold D. Johnson 1964 – 1976; Wayne F. Adams 1979 – 1994. Patrick M. Lachance, a white man,represented district 8 from 1976 to1979.

HALIFAXREGIONALMUNICIPALARCHIVES

The Times of African Nova Scotians�10�

Write a short story (1,000 words minimum) about a day in the life of a Black Loyalistor a Black Refugee. Who are they? Where did they come from? Where did they settle?How did they survive? Judges will consider historical accuracy and creativity in theirevaluations. Limit: One entry per student or five (5) entries per class.

Short Story,Historical FictionChallenge#5

Bias Alert: Historians generally use the term ‘Loyalists’ to describe the immigrantsto Nova Scotia in 1783 and ‘Refugees’ when describing immigrants fleeing the War of1812. The word ‘loyalist’ has a positive connotation that implies patriotism,importance and action. ‘Refugee’ implies loss, passivity and victimization. However,the similarities between the two groups are quite compelling. Both groups came toNova Scotia because of military proclamations that offered freedom, both risked theirlives in escaping slavery and members of both groups had fought for the British duringthe wars. These immigrants brought a variety of different skills and talents with themand settled throughout the province.

Slavery and exploitation still occurs in many parts of the world. Guerrilla tactics areoften employed by groups fighting for human rights, religious freedom or politicalindependence. When do rebels become freedom fighters? Are their tactics alwaysjustified? Write a short paper (1,000 - 2,000 words) about a conflict area in the worldtoday to support your answer. Limit: One entry per student or five (5) entries per class.

Rebels orFreedom FightersChallenge#6

The Maroons were descendants of escaped slaves who had fled the death-trap plantationsin Jamaica and lived as free people in the interior of the island. They had signed a peacetreaty with the British in 1739 that allowed them a certain amount of autonomy but in 1795,the Maroons of Trelawny Town had a disagreement with the governor and drove thegovernment superintendent out of their community. Fearing a rebellion, the governordeclared martial law. The Maroons were skilled guerrilla fighters with an unsurpassedknowledge of the rugged countryside but faced with an opposition of overwhelmingnumbers and superior weaponry, they signed a truce with Britain. The Jamaican Legislaturedecided to rid themselves of the ‘troublesome’ Maroons once and for all and decided to‘resettle’ them elsewhere. In June of 1796, 567 Jamaican Maroons were exiled to NovaScotia for their defiance of British policy. The Maroons were unhappy in Nova Scotia.Fiercely independent, they resented the colony’s attempt to use them as cheap labour andthe Governor’s attempts to convert them to Christianity. The Maroons were also unpreparedfor the harsh climate of Nova Scotia and after two severe winters in the province, petitionedthe British Parliament for their removal elsewhere. In August of 1800, 551 Maroons set sailfor Sierra Leone and out of Nova Scotia history.

The British used ferocious dogs to track down the defiant Maroons.

The Indigenous Blacks and Mi’kmaq Initiative wasestablished at Dalhousie Law School in 1989 to reducesystemic discrimination by increasing the representationof African Nova Scotian and Mi’kmaq people in the legalprofession.

The Initiative is designed to ensure that African NovaScotian and Mi’kmaq students have access to DalhousieLaw School and involves community outreach andrecruiting; student support; developing Aboriginal lawand African Canadian legal perspectives; and providingcareer placement assistance. Students who enterDalhousie Law School through the IB&M Initiative jointhe regular first class, write the same exams, completethe same work and earn the same LL.B. degree as do allother students at Dalhousie Law School.

Students who are interested in entering Dalhousie LawSchool through the IB&M Initiative are invited to contactthe IB&M office for additional information.

Considering Law as a Career?IndigenousBlacks andMi’kmaqInitiative

Indigenous Blacksand Mi’kmaq Initiative

Dalhousie Law School6061 University AvenueHalifax, NS B3H 4H9

Tel: 902.494.1639Fax: 902.494.6512E-mail: ibandm@dal.cawww: ibandm.law.dal.ca

The first major migration of black people to Nova Scotia happened in 1783. TheAmerican War of Independence forced the emigration of nearly 100,000 people who hadremained loyal to Britain. About half of these ‘Loyalists’ came to what was then known asNova Scotia. Among this influx to the province were 3,500 free Black Loyalists andapproximately 1,500 slaves accompanying white Loyalists. Approximately 1,521 of theseBlack Loyalists formed Birchtown, the largest black settlement of the time in British NorthAmerica. Others settled in Guysborough, Digby, Cornwallis, Horton, Weymouth,Annapolis Royal, Preston, Sydney, Windsor, Fort Cumberland, Parrsboro and other smallersettlements throughout the province.The War of 1812 spurred the next major influx of permanent black settlers to Nova

Scotia and by 1818, more than 1,600 Black Refugees had settled in the province. Themajority of these Black Refugees came from two areas of the southern United States, theChesapeake Bay area and the Georgia Sea Islands. Most of the Chesapeake Refugeessettled together in the Preston area while the majority of Sea Island Refugees settledtogether at Hammonds Plains.

Imagine arriving in NovaScotia in the summer or fall of1783. You need a roof overyour head but lumber is inshort supply or you don’t havetime to build a house beforewinter sets in. You dig a holein the ground and make a roofof tree trunks and canvas overthe hole. This was known as apit house. The British Army,including Black soldiers andengineers, often lived this waywhile on the march.

The Times of African Nova Scotians �11�

Community elders are an important primary source of history. Older members of the community can recount the events oftheir lives and pass along the stories and traditions that were handed down to them from previous generations. Community elderscan often reveal important clues about our past. Recount some aspect of local history as told to you in an interview with anAfrican Nova Scotian elder from your family or your community.

Interview a Community ElderChallenge#7The year is 1946 and a young African Nova

Scotian businesswoman, Viola Desmond, isarrested for refusing to give up her seat in thewhites-only lower section of the RoselandTheatre in New Glasgow. The incident sparksoutrage from both black and white peopleacross Nova Scotia and creates a dramaticupsurge in race consciousness and pride inblack communities throughout the province.Group/Class Challenge - The modern mass

media of the day is radio. You are the teamcovering the event. Prepare a two minute radioreport about the incident. Be sure to cover thebasic reporter’s questions of who, what, when,where, why and how. Include “interviews”and “eye-witness” accounts with your report.Submit a recording or a written script of yourreport.Alternative Group/Class Challenge – In

1946, news clips were often shown beforemovies at theatres nationwide. Prepare andsubmit a short video news clip about the ViolaDesmond incident. Include “interviews” and“eye-witness” accounts with your report.

An interview with George Brooksconducted in 1982 reveals more of thehistory of the ‘Stag Inn’.George Brooks was born on March

13, 1907. His parents were JohnBrooks and Mary Ellen (née Kane).His father was born in East Preston andhis mother was born in Cherrybrook.George Brooks was one of sixchildren, three girls and three boys. Atthe time of the interview in 1982 there

were only two survivors, the other being his brother, John.According to George Brooks, his grandfather, John Brooks

died in 1882, and his grandmother was Nancy Dare, thedaughter of the famous William Dare who ran the Stag Hotel inPreston, the first hotel to be run by a black person in the area.“He came here I guess as a slave from the south and lived herefor years.” George Brooks remembers the Stag Hotel: “We livedin the building. We built a piece on but we lived in it.”George Brooks recalled that when he was a boy the Stag Hotel

had long ceased to operate as a hotel. “You seeWilliam Dare hada son named George Dare who ran it for years after his fatherdied. His father died back in the 1870’s. He ran it until 1895 and

then it was closed down. George Dare died in 1895.” GeorgeDare’s wife, Susan, lived in the house that was the Stag Hotel foranother nine years until her death in 1904. The place was willedto George Brooks’ father, John Brooks, who lived there from1904 until his death in 1942. It was in this very building thatGeorge Brooks grew up.George Brooks recalled his early life in East Preston.As a young

boy he did a little farming around the house and collected firewoodfor sale in Halifax. A hundred split pieces sold for one dollar.Around the age of fifteen he began working at this on his own. Afew years later, around 18-19 years old he became a bricklayer.Bricklayers earned somewhere around 40 cents an hour.George Brooks went to school in East Preston in 1914 and

remained in school until 1921 when he reached grade 7. Heremembers all his teachers as good teachers. They were allblack teachers. Asked to name them, he gave the followingnames: Carolyn Marsman, Pearl Gibson, Pearl Anderson andSpurgeon Paris.Mr. Brooks married the former Rita Saunders and raised

18 children.

This photo of the Stag Inn (left) was taken in 1932 and comes from the collection of John Brooks. An inscription on the bottom ofthe photo reads “formerly William Deers or Dears (coloured man) better known as ‘Stag Inn’, originally built in 1842 on the northside of Preston Road, Preston, 8¾ miles E.N.E. of Dartmouth, Halifax Co., N.S.” The sign (right) comes from the Inn.

NOVASCOTIAARCHIVESANDRECORDSMANAGEMENT

Radio orNewsreelReport

Challenge#8

George Brooks

Source: Traditional Lifetime Stories: A Collection ofBlack Memories; Black Cultural Centre, 1987. Vol. I.

African Canadian Services Division

TheAfrican Canadian Services Division (ACSD), located within the Public School Branch of the Nova Scotia Department of Educationwas established in February of 1996 to implement the Department’s response to the BLAC Report on Education, Redressing Inequity –Empowering Black Learners (December 1994, Volumes 1-3).

Tel: (902) 424-2585Fax: (902) 424-7210Nova Scotia Government Web Site:http://acs.ednet.ns.ca

4th Floor Brunswick Place2021 Brunswick St., P.O. Box 578Halifax, Nova ScotiaB3J 2S9

Providing Educational and Cultural Excellence

What ACSD Does

• Develops, promotes and delivers programs, resources and services for African Nova Scotian students.

• Encompasses all levels of education.

• Promotes understanding of African Canadians and their history, heritage, culture, traditions andcontributions to society, recognizing their origins as Africans.

• Ensures African Canadian students have greater access to post-secondary institutions.

• Works with staff in the branch and across the Department to address systemic racism anddiscrimination, by facilitating implementation of the Racial Equity Policy.

Department of EducationAfrican Canadian Services Division