List of Black Nova Scotians

This is a list of notable Black Nova Scotians.

Politicians

• Graham L. Downey First Black Municipal Councillor, First Black Deputy Mayor]] City Council
• Wayne Adams, first black person in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly
• Yvonne Atwell, first black woman in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly (succeeded Adams)
• Wanda Thomas Bernard, Canadian Senator
• Mayann Francis, first black woman Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia
• Daurene Lewis, first black woman mayor in Canada; recipient of Order of Canada
• Donald Oliver, first black man to have a seat in the Senate; recipient of Order of Canada
• Calvin Ruck, recipient of Order of Canada
• Bill White, first black person to run for federal office in Canada (1949 Canadian federal election)

Artists

• Bucky Adams, jazz musician
• Dawn Shepherd, circus artist
• Gary Beals, R&B musician
• Keonte Beals, R&B musician
• Walter Borden, actor
• George Boyd, playwright/journalist
• George Elliott Clarke, poet and playwright
• Sterling Jarvis, singer and actor
• Carshae Beals, R&B musician and actor
• Cy McLean, pianist and band leader
• Kaleb Simmonds, R&B musician
• Faith Nolan, folk and jazz musician
• Rob "Blye" Paris of Citizen Kane, rapper
• Jamie Sparks, R&B singer, composer, and brother of Jeremiah Sparks
• Nelson Symonds, jazz guitarist
• Maxine Tynes, poet and educator
• Portia White, operatic contralto
• Joe Jojo Bowden, Composer, Bandleader, Drummer
• John "Hubba" Parris, Rock and roll singer, lead vocalist of "Spyder"

Filmmakers

• Cory Bowles, actor, director
• Floyd Kane, filmmaker, director

Athletes

• Marjorie Bailey, sprinter
• George Dixon, boxer
• Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, American actor and former professional wrestler, son of Rocky Johnson
• Kirk Johnson, boxer
• Rocky Johnson, wrestler, father of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and grandfather of Simone Johnson
• Sam Langford, boxer
• Simone Johnson, American professional wrestler, daughter of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and granddaughter of Rocky Johnson.
• Lindell Wigginton, basketball player
• Bill Riley, hockey player

• Wayne Smith, football player
• Alton White, hockey player
• Tyrone Williams, football player
• Pokey Reddick, hockey player
• Ricky Anderson, boxer
• Leonard Sinclair Sparks, boxer
• Art Dorrington, hockey player
• Stan "Chook" Maxwell, hockey player
• Clyde Gray, boxer
• David Downey, boxer
• Ray Downey, boxer
• Wayne Simmonds, hockey player
• Tyson Cave, boxer

Veterans

• William Hall, Victoria Cross recipient
• Benjamin Jackson, sailor and Civil War soldier
• Jeremiah Jones, World WarI soldier
• Joseph B. Noil, sailor and Medal of Honor recipient
• Isaac Phills, World WarI soldier and Order of Canada recipient
• William A. White, chaplain of No. 2 Construction Battalion in the Canadian Army in World WarI
• Three Black Nova Scotians served in the American Civil War in the 54th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry: Hammel Gilyer, Samuel Hazzard, and Thomas Page.
• Percy Seymour Martin, first African Nova Scotian to win Military Medal

Activists

• Carrie Best, journalist and social activist
• Viola Desmond, businesswoman and civil rights advocate
• Burnley "Rocky" Jones, political activist
• El Jones, activist
• Joan Jones, political activist, businesswoman
• William Pearly Oliver
• Calvin W. Ruck, author of The Black Battalion

Other notables

• Rose Fortune, considered first black woman police officer in Canada
• Donald D. Skeir, pastor, teacher and community leader
• James Robinson Johnston, lawyer and community leader
• James A.R. Kinney, stenographer
• Wellington Ney States, baptist clergyman
• Beverly Mascoll, businesswoman
• Maurice Ruddick (1912–1988), citizen of the year for his role in the 1958 Springhill Mining Disaster
• Corrine Sparks, first African Nova Scotian to be appointed to the judiciary and first African Canadian woman to serve on the bench
• Edith Hester McDonald-Brown, considered first documented Black female painter in Canadian art history
• John Paris Jr., first Black person to coach a pro hockey team
• Edwin Howard Borden, first African Nova Scotian graduate of Acadia University

References