Harry Jerome was a legendary athlete who paved the way for future generations of Black athletes.
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Harry was a Canadian sprinter who set multiple world records in the 1960s, including the 100-meter dash. He broke the Canadian record for the 220 yard dash, and was one of the few runners to hold records in both the 100m and 100 yard dash simultaneously.
He was also an Olympic bronze medalist and a Commonwealth Games gold medalist. He was named BC’s male athlete of the 20th century and was inducted into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame and Canada’s Sports Hall of Fame.
Not only was Harry a trailblazer on the track, but he also fought against racism in the sports world and beyond. After his 3rd Olympics in 1968, he worked to provide opportunities for Canadian youth.
He worked in the Federal Ministry of Sport and developed BC’s Premier’s Sports Awards Program. He has several events and awards named in his honour, including the “Harry Jerome Awards” which recognize members of the African-Canadian community.
He was added to Canada’s Walk of Fame and also received the Order of Canada for his extensive contributions to Canada.
Enslaved Teenager Diana Bastian of Nova Scotia
Warning: Disturbing Content
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Bastian lived most of her life as a slave in obscurity but entered historical consciousness as a result of her rape, pregnancy, and subsequent death.
We can learn of Bastian’s tragic story because of a brief burial-record document inserted in the St. George’s Anglican Church’s burial registry in Sydney. Her story tragically evidences the vulnerability of enslaved African Canadian Black women.
The Atlantic Advocate was Nova Scotia's first African Canadian newspaper, incorporated on 8 June 1916.
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The newspaper covered a range of topics — historical, religious, economic, political, military, literary, social and local.
Community notes appeared from across Nova Scotia, including Amherst, Digby, Halifax, Hammonds Plains, Liverpool, Shelburne, Westville, Weymouth and Wolfville, as well as from New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario.
The Federation of Black Canadians (FBC)
Black communities across Canada are diverse, resilient, creative, and multifaceted. For the first time in Canada’s history, there are over 1,000,000 Black Canadians who call Canada home.
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The FBC is a Pan-Canadian body that discusses the opportunities, contributions, and challenges that exist for people of African descent nationally. (FBC, 2023)
The FBC has the following priorities:
• Total Health
• Criminal Justice Reform
• Community Building
• Economic Security
• Higher Education
• Eliminating Anti-Black Racism