Notable Black Canadians

Winston LaRose

• Community Activist
• Commonly referred to as Mr. Jane & Finch
• At 82 years old, works to Challenge the stigma of the diversely populated community systemically oppressed within Jane & Finch, an intersection in the west end of Toronto, Canada
• His story was featured at the Toronto Black Film Festival in a documentary titled Mr. Jane & Finch

Marie-Joseph Angelique

• Canadian Civil Rights Activist
• Found guilty of setting fire to her enslaver's home on April 10th, 1734 that left 46 buildings burnt in Montreal, Quebec
• A verdict based on a confession given while Angelique was tortured through the inhumane ‘Brodequin’ method which left her legs and knees mutilated
• Many of the witnesses to Angelique’s case never actually saw her start the fire

Viola Desmond

• Canadian Civil Rights Activist
• Canada Government apologized to Desmond and her family for wrongfully convicting her of a case similar to Rosa Parks however taking place in a segregated Canadian theatre.
• Not as well known for her entrepreneurship, Desmond was a beautician who created the Desmond School of Beauty Culture, the first beauty school in Canada to welcome Black people
• She is now the first Black woman on the Canadian ten-dollar bill

Dudley Laws

• Canadian Civil Rights Activist
• A Critic of the Toronto Police Services due to Black men being shot by constables and allegations of racist practices
• Founded the Black Action Defense Committee in 1988 after the killing of Lester Donaldson

Carrie Best

• Humans Right Activist
• Best created her own publication titled ‘The Clarion’
• The first newspaper shared community stories and advocated for Black rights in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. Similar to Desmond’s case, Best was also wrongfully arrested with her son within a segregated theatre three years prior. Best featured Desmond's case in The Clarion