Black Canadians have had a presence in Canada since the 1600s. Although historical accounts sometimes differ, most believe that Black people began to seek and gain election to political office in Canada in the mid-1800s. Along the way, there have been many important firsts. Even so, these milestones are rarely included in standard accounts of Canadian politics, and they were often achieved against a backdrop of racism and exclusion. We document these achievements as a reminder of the trailblazing paths that Black Canadians have taken, which laid the foundation for those who came after them.
Mathieu da Costa
Early 17th century
First Black person known to have come to Canada
Image ©Canada Post Corporation. Reproduced with permission.
Sir James Douglas
1851
Son of a Scottish merchant and a free woman of colour, he was the first governor of the colony of Vancouver Island; he opposed universal suffrage
Image courtesy the Maynard family
Abraham Doras Shadd
1859
Generally recognized as the first Black man to serve in Canadian public office when he was elected as a councillor in Raleigh, Ontario
Image ©Canada Post Corporation. Reproduced with permission.
Wilson Ruffin Abbott
Exact date unknown
Active in Toronto local politics in the 1840s and 1850s; he was eventually elected to council, although within the historical record, the exact date is disputed
Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons
Mifflin Gibbs
1862
First Black person to run in a Canadian federal election
Image courtesy Sheila White
James William Douglas
1875
Son of a Black father and Cree mother elected to British Columbia’s provincial legislature
Image courtesy the Douglas Archives
William White III
1949
First Black person to hold public office in British Columbia
Image courtesy Wikimedia Commons
Stanley George Sinclair Grizzle
1959
One of the first Black Canadian candidates to run for election to the Ontario legislature
Image courtesy City of Toronto Archives and reproduced through a Creative Commons Licence
Jack White
1959
One of the first Black Canadian candidates to run for election to the Ontario legislature
Image courtesy Sheila White
Leonard Braithwaite
1963
First Black person elected to the Ontario legislature
Image courtesy Osgoode Hall Law School and reproduced through a Creative Commons Licence
Saint-Firmin Monestime
1964
First Black man to serve as mayor in Canada
Image courtesy the Mattawa Museum
Lincoln Alexander
1968
First Black Canadian elected to the House of Commons and first Black cabinet minister; later served as Lieutenant-Governor of Ontario
Image courtesy the Lincoln Alexander Centre and reproduced through a Creative Commons Licence
Rosemary Brown
1972
First Black woman elected to a provincial legislature; in 1975, she became the first Black woman to run for the leadership of a federal political party in Canada
Image ©Canada Post Corporation. Reproduced with permission.
Graham Leo Downey
1973
First Black Nova Scotian to serve in municipal office and first Black Nova Scotian mayor of Halifax
Image courtesy Jerome Downey
Virnetta Anderson
1974
First Black person elected to Quebec’s National Assembly
Image “Virnetta Nelson Anderson” courtesy the City of Calgary Archives; CalA PP-01312, PP Collection, Box 11
Jean Alfred
1983
First Black person elected to Quebec’s National Assembly
Anne Cools
1984
First Black person appointed to the Canadian Senate
Reproduction of an image provided by the Senate of Canada; used with permission
Daurene Lewis
1984
First Black mayor elected in Nova Scotia and first Black woman elected mayor in Canada
Image provided by the Ontario Black History Society
Alvin Curling
1985
First Black person elected to the Ontario legislature; later served as speaker
Image courtesy the Ontario Legislative Assembly
Beverley Salmon
1985
First Black woman elected to Toronto municipal council
Photo by Ron Fanfair; creator retains copyright
Donald Oliver
1990
First Black man appointed to the Canadian Senate
Reproduction of an image provided by the Senate of Canada; used with permission
Zanana Akande
1990
First Black woman elected to the Ontario legislature and the first Black woman to serve as a cabinet minister in Canada
Image courtesy the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Jean Augustine
1993
First Black woman elected to the House of Commons; in 2002, she became the first Black woman to serve in the federal cabinet
Image ©House of Commons, Ottawa – Canada / Chambre des communes, Ottawa - Canada
Wayne Adams
1993
First Black man elected to the Nova Scotia legislature and first Black person in Nova Scotia’s cabinet
Image courtesy the Canadian Press and reproduced through a limited use license
Yvonne Atwell
1998
First Black woman elected to the Nova Scotia Legislature
Image courtesy the Nova Scotia Archives
George Rogers
2004
First Black person elected to the Alberta legislature
Image courtesy the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Yolande James
2004
First Black woman elected to Quebec’s National Assembly; in 2007, she became the first Black cabinet minister in Quebec’s history
Image courtesy Assemblée nationale du Québec
Michaëlle Jean
2005
First Black person to serve as governor general of Canada
Original image provided by Agẽncia Brasil and reproduced through a Creative Commons Licence
Vivian Barbot
2011
First Black Canadian to lead a federal party when she was appointed interim leader of the Bloc Québécois
Image ©House of Commons, Ottawa – Canada / Chambre des communes, Ottawa - Canada
Bernadette Clement
2018
First Black woman elected as mayor in the province of Ontario; later appointed to the Canadian Senate
Reproduction of an image provided by the Senate of Canada; used with permission
Annamie Paul
2020
First Black Canadian elected as permanent leader of a federal political party
Photo courtesy the Green Party of Canada and reproduced through a Creative Commons Licence
Greg Fergus
2023
First Black Speaker of the House of Commons
Image ©House of Commons, Ottawa – Canada / Chambre des communes, Ottawa - Canada
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This historical overview is a work in progress. Please get in touch if you would like to share other milestones with us.