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, professional wrestler and businessman, 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.Tom Brooks "All Men are Brothers", 1995. LWF Publications. historical quarterly, Lest We Forget. 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