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December Black Canadian Calendar

  • ​Known for: Student; artist
  • Notable facts: On Dec. 1, 2016, Ricai, who is autistic, was invited to display his artwork at the Geneva Centre for Autism Art Exhibit.
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  • ​Known for: Day of observance
  • Notable facts: Dec. 2 is the International Day for the Abolition of Slavery; Black slaves were freed in Canada as a result of the Slavery Abolition Act 1833 (Aug. 28, 1833), which took effect Aug. 1, 1834. 
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  • ​Known for: Hockey Olympian; lawyer
  • ​Notable facts: Date of birth: Dec. 3, 1965; field hockey Olympian and lawyer; inducted into the York University Sports Hall of Fame in 2003. 
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  • ​​Known for: Community organization
  • Notable facts: On Dec. 4, 1950, the Central Citizens' Association for the Advancement of Coloured People was established in Windsor by Lyle Browning, Walter Perry, Charles Nall and Alton Parker. The community organization advocated for the hiring of Blacks in city jobs, fought against racial discrimination in housing and public facilities and fostered collectivity in the Black community. 
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  • ​Known for: Event
  • Notable facts: On Dec. 5, 1995, the House of Commons passed a resolution by MP Jean Augustine to declare February, Black History Month in Canada; promoted by the Ontario Black History Society and other organizations and individuals, the first Black History Month in Canada was declared on Feb. 1, 1996. 
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  • ​Known for: Businesswoman
  • Notable facts: Date of birth: Dec. 6, 1928; date of death: Aug. 19, 2016; founder of Tilda's Tropical Delights, the first Black-owned business in Hamilton Farmers' Market; in 2002, Miss Tilly was awarded an honorary doctorate from McMaster University. In 2006, she was inducted into the Hamilton Gallery of Distinction "for her role as a community leader and successful entrepreneur." In 1997, Miss Tilly started a scholarship fund to provide financial support to students attending post-secondary education at McMaster and in Jamaica. 
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  • ​Known for: Musician
  • ​Notable facts: Date of birth: Dec. 7, 1863; wrote a marching song for Canadian soldiers in the First World War. 
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  • ​Known for: Airman
  • Notable facts: Date of death: Dec. 9, 2001; one of the first Black pilots in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). He served during World War II and flew on operations with the RCAF in Europe in an integrated front line squadron, the first Black airman to do so. 
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  • ​Known for: Politician
  • Notable facts: Date of birth: Dec. 10, 1932; retired university science professor; politician and civil rights activist; the first African-Canadian Member of Parliament for the New Democratic Party; Order of Ontario Recipient; Order of Canada recipient. 
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  • ​Known for: Professional baseball player
  • Notable facts: Date of birth: Dec. 11, 1992; debuted in Major League Baseball in 2014 with the Toronto Blue Jays, the sixth Ontario-born Blue Jays player. 
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  • ​Known for: Surgeon
  • Notable facts: Date of birth: Dec. 13, 1923; date of death: 2005; first Black surgeon in Canada. He was an accomplished pianist, scholar, athlete and sculptor. 
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  • ​Known for: Football player; politician
  • Notable facts: Date of birth: Dec. 15, 1929; date of death: 1998; football player; politician. Elected Speaker of the Legislature in 1994 (first Black to hold this position). 
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  • ​Known for: Actor
  • Notable facts: Date of birth: Dec. 16, 1993; cast to play two historical African Americans- civil rights activist John Lewis and Olympian Jesse Owens; nominated for Best Supporting Actor for the Canadian Screen Awards in 2012. 
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  • ​Known for: Athlete; mixed martial artist
  • Notable facts: Date of birth: Dec. 17, 1979; the first Haitian Canadian to fight in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. 
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  • ​Known for: National chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students
  • Notable facts: Date of birth: Dec. 18, 1991; the first Black Canadian elected as national chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students. 
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  • ​Known for: judge, first Black Chief Justice of Ontario
  • Notable facts: appointed a judge of the Superior Court of Justice for Ontario in 2003, elevated to the Court of Appeal for Ontario in 2012, appointed as Chief Justice of Ontario on December 19, 2022. 
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  • ​Known for: Firefighte​r
  • Notable facts: Date of birth: Dec. 20; the first and only Black female career firefighter with Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency Service (hired May 2009). 
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  • ​Known for: Civil engineer
  • Notable facts: Date of birth: Dec. 21, 1942; date of death: Jan. 1, 2000; Calgary Transportation Director; architect of Calgary's first C LRT train, the Oliver Bowen; the maintenance facility building is named after him. 
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  • ​Known for: Hockey player
  • Notable facts: Date of birth: Dec. 22, 1964; one of the first women inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame. 
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  • ​Known for: Judge
  • Notable facts: Date of birth: 1928; date of death: Jul. 16, 2011; on Dec. 23, 1991, he was the first Black appointed as Chief Justice of the Federal Court of Canada. 
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  • ​Known for: Editor; journalist
  • ​Notable facts: Date of birth: Dec. 24; prominent journalist in the Black Canadian Caribbean community.
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For hands on educator resources, go to shopETFO.

Download the 365 Black Canadian Curriculum
  • ​Known for: Former professional basketball player
  • Notable facts: Date of birth: Dec. 26, 1923; played with the Harlem Globetrotters; inducted into the Windsor/Essex County Sports Hall of Fame in 1981; inducted into the Canadian Basketball Hall of Fame in 1995. 
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  • ​Known for: Artist
  • Notable facts: Date of birth: Dec. 27, 1873; awarded the Young Fortnightly Prize at the Chicago Artists' Exhibition in 1908. 
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  • ​Known for: Educator; historian; author
  • Notable facts: Date of birth: Dec. 28; first recipient of the Peel Elementary Occasional Teacher Local (PEOT) Outstanding Achievement Award for her work in developing curriculum that gives voice to the African Canadian experience. On Nov. 1, 2017, at a meeting held in Toronto, she was elected president of the Ontario Black History Society (OBHS). 
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  • Known for: High jumper
  • Notable facts: Date of birth: Dec. 29, 1959; Ottey was the number one ranked high jumper in the world in 1982 and the twenty three times indoor and outdoor national champion in the men's high jump event. Ottey is now the owner and director of OT Fitness Educational Services Inc. in Scarborough. 
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For hands on educator resources, go to shopETFO.

Download the 365 Black Canadian Curriculum
For hands on educator resources, go to shopETFO.

Download the 365 Black Canadian Curriculum