Notable Black Canadians

BlackMontreal.com | home

Click here to go to the page "Notable Black People (non-Canadian)"

NOTABLE BLACK CANADIANS

(Webmaster's selection)

SEE LINKS BELOW Black History Month Black History Month, Canada Click here for a list of Black Canadians List of Black Canadian NHL(Hockey) Players (see Canadian Flag)
Click the picture for more details (Listed alphabetically by first name)
Rev. Addie Aylestock (1909 - 1998) First ordained Black female Church minister in Canada.	Dr. Afua Cooper (born 1957) Jamaican-born Canadian historian, author and dub poet	Dr. Alexandra Bastiany Canada's first Black female Intervention Cardiologist	Dr. Anderson Ruffin Abbot (1837 - 1913) Canada's first licenced Physician
Andre Degrasse (born 1994) Canadian sprinter who won the silver medal in the 200 m and bronze medals in both the 100 m and 4×100 m relay at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.	Andrea Bain CTV News Anchor author, podcaster and on-air personality.	Annamie Paul (born 1972) Canadian politician, activist, lawyer and leader of the Green Party of Canada since October 3, 2020. First Black Canadian and first Jewish woman to be elected leader of a major federal party in Canada.	Anne Cools (born 1943) Retired Senator. First Black person appointed to Canada's Upper House
Balarama Holness (born 1983) Educaror, Law student, founder of Montreal in Action, former Canadian football player with the Montreal Alouettes. Nicknamed "The Canadian Obama"	Barbara Howard (1920 - 2017) Sprinter, believed to be the first Black Canadian athlete to represent Canada in an international competition.	Bruni Surin (born July 12, 1967) Canadian former track and field athlete, winner of a gold medal in the 4×100 metres relay at the 1996 Summer Olympics. In 2008 he was inducted into Canada's Sports Hall of Fame in 1996. Holds a personal record of 9.84 seconds. Order of Canada awardee 2021	Cameron Davis (born ) Notable young Activist and YouTuber. He shares videos about his experiences travelling the world and dealing with racism in Canada. He started an organization called BY YOUTH, which stands for Black York Region (BYR) Youth. He made a verbal presentation to the UN.
Carol M. Tator Order of Canada awardee 2021	Carrie Best (1903 - 2001) Black Activist and Found The Clarion in 1946, the first black-owned and published Nova Scotia newspaper	Catherine Verdon-Diamond CBC weather host and temporary host of CBC's "Our Montreal"	Dr. Clarence S. Bayne President of the Black Studies Center of Montreal. Professor, Supply Chain and Business Technology Management Director of Institute for Community Entrepreneurship and Development (ICED)
Clement Virgo (born 1966) Canadian filmmaker	Dany Laferrière (born 13 April 1953) Haitian-Canadian novelist and journalist who writes in French. He was elected to seat 2 of the Académie française on 12 December 2013, and inducted in May 2015.	Dr. Daurene Lewis (1943 - 2013) First Black female Mayor in Canada	Delos Davis (1846 - 1915) Canada's second Black Lawyer
Denham Jolly (born 1935) Jamaican Canadian businessman, publisher, broadcaster, human rights activist & philanthropist. Founder of the Black Business and Professional Association and the Harry Jerome Awards. Order of Canada awardee 2020	Director X Julien Christian Lutz (born Oct. 31, 1975) Famed Film and Music Director and Producer	Donald H. Oliver, QC (born 1938) The first Black Canadian to have a seat in the Senate	Donovon Bailey (born 1967) First Canadian to win an Olympic gold medal in the 100 metre sprint
Dominique Anglade (born 1974) First black woman to lead a provincial party in Quebec. Leader of Quebec's Liberal Party, the Official Opposition of Quebec. She has served as a Member of the National Assembly of Quebec.	Dr. Dorothy Wills (born 1933) Canada's first Black female faculty Dean	Drake Aubrey Drake Graham (born October 24, 1986) Rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur	Elijah McCoy (1844 - 1929) Canadian-born inventor of the automatic oiler. The phrase "The real McCoy" is attributed to him.
Elysia Bryan-Baynes Quebec’s first full-time Black female anchor (on Global News for 17 years), now retired.	Dr. Emilie Nicolas (born 1989) Une chroniqueuse québécoise au Devoir et une militante antiraciste et féministe Elle est cofondatrice de Québec inclusif, consultante à l'Ordre de Montréal	Emmanuel Dubourg (born 1958) Member of National Assembly of Viau, Quebec from 2007 until 2013. Liberal Member of Parliament for the Montreal riding of Bourassa from 2013.	Dr. Eugenia Duodu (born 1989) Canadian chemist and the CEO of Visions of Science Network for Learning (VoSNL).
Fabrice Vil cofondateur et directeur général de Pour 3 points, un organisme qui transforme les coachs sportifs en coachs de vie auprès de jeunes athlètes en milieux défavorisés.	Felix Auger Aliassime Canadian professional tennis player. He has a career-high singles ranking of No. 9, which he achieved on 10 January 2022, and doubles ranking of No. 60, attained on 1 November . Order of Canada awardee 2021	Ferguson Jenkins (born 1942) First Canadian to be inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame and ex Harlem Globetrotter	Frank Baylis (born 1962) Former Canadian MP in Pierrefonds-Dollard until 2019. President of Baylis Medical. Entertainment Producer.
Françoise Abanda (born 1997) A Canadian professional tennis player. She reached her highest WTA singles ranking of 111 on October 9, 2017 and her highest WTA doubles ranking of 197 on September 8, 2014. She achieved a career high junior rank of No. 4	George Elliott Clarke, OC ONS (born 1960) Canadian poet and playwright and served as the Canadian Parliamentary Poet Laureate.	Gregory Charles (born 1968) Trinidadian-Canadian Radio Host, Television Host, classic Singer, Pianist, dancer, Actor	Harry Jerome (1940 - 1982) 100 m Olympic Bronze medallist (1964)
Click the picture for more details. Also see links at the top.
Justice Hugh L Fraser Justice Fraser joined JAMS in New York in 2019 followingdecades of service as a justice on the Ontario Court of Justice (Ottawa). He was appointed as a judge of the Ontario Court in 1993 and became regional senior justice for the East Region of Ontario in 2013. Order of Canada awardee 2021	Isaac Phills (1896 - 1985) First World War veteran. Pioneer and first Black man to receive the Order of Canada. 1967	Jackie Richardson (born January 4, 1947) Canadian singer and actress known for her screen roles in Turning to Stone, The Gospel According to the Blues, The Doodlebops, and Sins of the Father.She is also known for her appearance on the YTV show Catwalk where she played the grandmother to Atlas (Christopher Lee Clements). Order of Canada awardee 2021	Jarome Iginla (born 1977) Six-time National Hockey League All Star
Jean Alfred, PH.D (born 1940) First Black person at the National Assembly of Quebec (PQ).	Jean Augustine (born 1937) First Black woman in Canada's House of Commons and the first black woman in a federal Cabinet	John Ware (1845 - 1905) Black Canadian cowboy and rancher who brought the first cattle to Southern Alberta	Josiah Henson (1789 - 1883) Author, abolitionist, and minister, widely believed to have inspired the character in Harriet Beecher Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin
Juanita Westmoreland Traoré (born 1942) First Quebec Black Judge and first Black Dean of a Law School	Kay Livingstone (1919 - 1975) Activist. One of Canada's leading Black actresses.	Lennox Lewis (born 1965) Canadian/British/Jamaican retired undisputed world heavyweight boxing champion	Lincoln Alexander (1922 - 2012) 24th. Lieutenant Governor of Ontario
Dr. Lionel Carmant Quebec (CAQ) Deputy Minister of Health since October 2018	Marie-Joseph Angélique (unknown - 1734) Slave who was convicted and executed for burning down her owners's home in Montreal	Marlene Jennings (born 1951) First Black woman from Quebec to be elected to Parliament with the Liberal Party of Canada	Mary Ann Chambers (born 1950) Former Ontario Member of Provincial Parliament and cabinet minister with the Liberal Party of Canada.
Mary Ann Shadd (1823 - 1893) The first Black woman publisher in North America and the first woman publisher in Canada	Mathieu DaCosta (died around 1619) First recorded black person in Canada. Five-language interpreter, translator and explorer.	Dr. Mayann Elizabeth Francis, (born 1946) 31st Lieutenant Governor of the province of Nova Scotia.	Michael Lee-Chin (born 1951) Jamaican/Canadian founder and Chairman of Portland Holdings Inc.; Executive Chairman of AIC Limited and of the National Commercial Bank of Jamaica. 10th. richest Black person 2021 (BILLIONAIRE)
The Right Honorable Michaëlle Jean (born 1957) Former Governor General of Canada	Maka Koto (born Dec. 7, 1961) né à Douala au Cameroun le 7 décembre 1961, est un artiste et homme politique québécois. Il a été ministre québécois de la Culture et des Communications dans le gouvernement de Pauline Marois.	Maya Johnson Veteran CTV Montreal reporter and Quebec City bureau chief; pending CTV Montreal’s first full-time Black anchor on weekday 5 p.m. and 11:30 p.m., effective March 2021	Nadine Girault Quebec (CAQ) Minister of International Relations and La Francophonie since October 18, 2018
Nicolas Ouellet devient le troisième mousquetaire du panel de commentateurs de C’est juste de la TV, auprès de Thérèse Parisien et de Nathalie Petrowski.
Click the picture for more details. Also see links at the top.
Oliver Jones (born 1934) Jazz pianist, organist, composer and arranger	Oscar Peterson (1925 – 2007) One of the greatest pianists. Eight Grammy winning Jazz pianist and composer.	Paul Smith Jamaican who became Canada's first Black Naval Commander, appointed in 2010.	Peter Worrell (born 1977) Retired Caribbean-Canadian professional ice hockey player. Played seven seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Florida Panthers and the Colorado Avalanche.
Philippe Fehmiu animateur de télévision du Québec, au Canada. Il est à la barre de l'émission Le Lab, diffusé à VOX. Il est également animateur de l’émission « Beau temps, mauvais temps » sur les ondes d’Espace Musique, chaîne radio de la Société Radio-Canada.	Pierre-Yves Lord {né le 11 sept. 1978} Port-au-Prince, est un animateur de télévision et de radio québécois	PK Subban (born May 13, 1989) Pernell Karl "P. K." Subban is a Canadian Hockey NHL .defenceman now playing for the New Jersey Devils. He is a gold medal winner with Team Canada at the 2014 Winter Olympics.	Portia White (1911 – 1968) The first Black Canadian concert singer to win international acclaim.
Raymond Gray Lewis (1910 - 2003) First Canadian-born Black Olympic track medalist.	Régine Laurent (born 1957) Haitian Canadian nurse who from 1980 spent 35 years working at Montreal's Santa-Cabrini Hospital.[1] From 2009 to 2017, as the first black woman to head the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec (FlQ),	Renzel Dashington Comedian from Quebec	Ricardo Lamour Quebec Actor and director, known for Emrical: Dim (2015), Emrical: Idiot utile (2015) and Oscillations (2017).
Robert Nathaniel Dett (1882 - 1943) An early Black composer, organist, pianist and music professor.	Robert Small Prominent Black History Month Speaker, Order of Canada recipient, Artist and creator of the LEGACY poster and the Afrotastic app. Order of Canada awardee 2021	Robert Sutherland (1830 - 1878) Canada's first Black university student and graduate and Canada's first Black lawyer.	Rosemary Brown (1930 - 2003) the first Black Canadian woman to be elected to a Canadian provincial legislature.
Sarahmée un nouveau souffle féminin et pétillant sur la planète hip-hop	Sean Henry Award-winning Journalist and weekend anchor at CBC Montreal. Host of CBC's Daybreak morning show, effective January 2021	Sharon-Davis-Murdoch Co-founder and co-president of the Health Association of African Canadians (HAAC) has worked for decades to eliminate systemic inequities in the health-care system. Order of Canada awardee 2021	Stanley G. Grizzle (1918 - 2016) Canadian citizenship judge, soldier, political candidate and civil rights and labour union activiist
Stanley Péan (1966 -) un écrivain québécois d'origine haïtienne.	Tessa McWatt (Born 1959) Celebrated Writer, Author, Professor	Tracy Moore Canadian television journalist and host of lifestyle magazine Cityline on CITY TV since October 2008	Trevor Payne (born 1948) Canadian musician (Montreal Jubilation Gospel Choir) and member of the Order of Canada
Tyrone Benskin Canadian actor, theatre director and politician. He was elected MP in the Jeanne-Le Ber riding, in Montreal, Quebec, in the 2011 Canadian federal election and served as an MP until 2015.	Ulrick Chérubin (1943 - 2014) one of the first Black Canadians to be elected a Mayor in Quebec	Vanessa Destiné Coanimatrice de l’émission de radio Les Effrontés sur les ondes de QUB Radio, Vanessa Destiné est une jeune étoile des médias québécois.	Varda Étienne (née le 13 déc 1972) une animatrice culturelle, auteure québécoise et femme d'affaires.
Viola Davis Desmond (1914 - 1965) Black Nova Scotian businesswoman who challenged racial segregation at Nova Scotian theatre in 1946. First Black Woman to be on Canadian banknote - $10 bill alone.	Violet King (1929 - 1982) The first Black Canadian to obtain a law degree in Alberta, the first Black person admitted to the Alberta Bar and the first Black woman to become a lawyer in Canada. She was also the first woman appointed to an executive position with the YMCA in the United States.	. Vivian Bardot (born 1941) Former Member of Parliament and Vice-President of the Bloc Québécois.	Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard, PhD, C.M., O.N.S, Nova Scotian educator, social worker, researcher, and community activist. Professor at Dalhousie School of Social Work. First Black Nova Scotian woman to serve in the Senate Chamber. Received 2004 Order of Canada and 2014 Order of Nova Scotia.
Dr. Wayne Adams (born 1943) First Black Canadian member of the Nova Scotia House of Assembly	Webster de son vrai nom Aly Ndiaye, né à Québec, au Québec, est un rappeur canadien2. Il commence sa carrière dans les années 1990 aux côtés de Slik Cat et DJ Def au sein de la formation Northern X dans le secteur 21 du quartier Limoilou.	The Weekend (born 1990) Multi-Grammy Award winner. Singer, songwriter, and record producer. Noted for his falsetto and eccentric music style	Wes Hall Canadian businessman and entrepreneur, born in Jamaica, best known as a "Dragon" investor in the Canadian edition of the reality television series Dragons' Den.
Will Prosper un réalisateur, travailleur social, et militant antiraciste des droits civiques et antiraciste québécois, confondateur de Républik Montréal-Nord et de Hoodstock.	William Hall (1827 - 1904) First Canadian sailor and first black Canadian to receive the Victoria Cross.	Willie O'Ree (born 1935) Canada's first black hockey player in the National Hockey League	Wilson Ruffin Abbot (1801 - 1876) Successful Black businessman in Toronto. Father of Dr. Anderson Ruffin Abbot
Yanic Truesdale (born March 17, 1970) Canadian-American actor best known for his portrayal of Michel Gerard in the television series Gilmore Girls, a role that prompted Daily Variety to name him one of "10 Actors to Watch.	Yolande James (born 1977) Quebec's first black female Member of the National Assembly (ex) and the first black cabinet minister in Quebec.	Yvonne Atwell (born 1943) In 1998, Yvonne was the first African-Nova Scotian woman elected as a member of the Nova Scotia Legislative Assembly	Zanana Lorraine Akande (Born 1937) First Black woman elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and the first woman from the African Diaspora to serve as a federal cabinet minister in Canada (NDP)
Click the picture for more details. Also see links at the top.