He was born into slavery. Free after the Civil War, he headed north to Canada.
In Alberta, he faced more racism. He heard the names, the slurs. He paid almost twice as much for his land as his white neighbors. Still, he forged himself into a legend.
Remember John Ware.
He developed new agricultural techniques. He walked across the backs of cattle. He rode the wildest horses and wrestled steers.
He confronted a racist bartender in Calgary by tossing him over the bar. He served the drinks himself.
Cowboy. Legend. John Ware.
Years after he died, his sons travelled from Calgary to Nova Scotia, crossed the country, to join the Black Battalion during the war.
Their father overcame racism to build a life for them. They overcame Canada’s racism to fight for Canada.
Remember Arthur and William Ware.
“He was bigger than the names they called him.”
From enslavement to legendary cowboy.
He gave us our brothers in arms, Arthur and William. Like their father, they succeeded despite the racism they faced in, and at the hands of, Canada.
We see you, John Ware.
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