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Viola Desmond's Canada: A History of Blacks and Racial Segregation in the Promised Land
Winner of the 2017 Robbie Robertson Dartmouth Book Award for Non-Fiction!
The Miramichi Reader’s best non-fiction book of 2016
In 1946, Viola Desmond was wrongfully arrested for sitting in a whites-only section of a movie theatre in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. In 2010, the Nova Scotia Government recognized this gross miscarriage of justice and posthumously granted her a free pardon.
Most Canadians are aware of Rosa Parks, who refused to give up her seat on a racially segregated bus in Alabama, but Viola Desmond’s act of resistance occurred nine years earlier. However, many Canadians are still unaware of Desmond’s story or that racial segregation existed throughout many parts of Canada during most of the twentieth century. On the subject of race, Canadians seem to exhibit a form of collective amnesia.
Viola Desmond’s Canada is a groundbreaking book that provides a concise overview of the narrative of the Black experience in Canada. Reynolds traces this narrative from slavery under French and British rule in the eighteenth century to the practice of racial segregation and the fight for racial equality in the twentieth century. Included are personal recollections by Wanda Robson, Viola Desmond’s youngest sister, together with important but previously unpublished documents and other primary sources in the history of Blacks in Canada.
Teaching Guide Available Here
The Miramichi Reader’s best non-fiction book of 2016
In 1946, Viola Desmond was wrongfully arrested for sitting in a whites-only section of a movie theatre in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. In 2010, the Nova Scotia Government recognized this gross miscarriage of justice and posthumously granted her a free pardon.
Most Canadians are aware of Rosa Parks, who refused to give up her seat on a racially segregated bus in Alabama, but Viola Desmond’s act of resistance occurred nine years earlier. However, many Canadians are still unaware of Desmond’s story or that racial segregation existed throughout many parts of Canada during most of the twentieth century. On the subject of race, Canadians seem to exhibit a form of collective amnesia.
Viola Desmond’s Canada is a groundbreaking book that provides a concise overview of the narrative of the Black experience in Canada. Reynolds traces this narrative from slavery under French and British rule in the eighteenth century to the practice of racial segregation and the fight for racial equality in the twentieth century. Included are personal recollections by Wanda Robson, Viola Desmond’s youngest sister, together with important but previously unpublished documents and other primary sources in the history of Blacks in Canada.
Teaching Guide Available Here
218 pages, Paperback
Published January 31, 2016
7 people are currently reading
265 people want to read
About the author
Graham Reynolds
2 booksGraham ^Reynolds is a professor emeritus and the Viola Desmond Chair in Social Justice at Cape Breton University in Canada.
He is the author (with Wanda Robson) of Viola Desmond’s Canada: A History of Blacks and Racial Segregation in the Promised Land, winner of the 2017 Robbie Robertson Atlantic Book Award for Non-Fiction.
He is the author (with Wanda Robson) of Viola Desmond’s Canada: A History of Blacks and Racial Segregation in the Promised Land, winner of the 2017 Robbie Robertson Atlantic Book Award for Non-Fiction.
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 20, 2018
I am awarding this book 3 stars. I think it is a very important book which educates readers on the extent of racism in Canada. It covers early slavery, especially in Louisburg, the ordeals of the Black Loyalists who came to Canada, the Underground Railway into Canada, segregation in Nova Scotia and Ontario, later immigration policies among other incidents in Black history. There is a tremendous amount of research which went into this historical account, but I found its organization haphazard. Bibliographies and footnotes were scattered throughout, and repetitions were frequent. This detracted from the narrative. The most interesting parts were when we learned about historical icons striving for civil rights.
The story of the slave woman at Louisburg was fascinating , but her story near the beginning of the book was split from an inventory of her possessions near the end. These were auctioned off after she died as a free woman and an astute and trusted business woman. It showed what the items cost in old French currency, and I wished this list had been translated into English currency of the time.
The author mentions how we white Canadians have ignored or forgotten black struggles. Most of us have now learned about Viola Desmond and what happened to this intelligent and successful business woman from Halifax at the Roseland theatre in New Glasgow in 1947. Public awareness only became widespread when she was pardoned posthumously in 2010, and the pardon stated that no crime had ever been committed. We learned how she was manhandled forcefully from the theatre in 1947 and spent a night in jail for sitting in the downstairs section. She was charged of tax evasion of 1 cent and fined $26 dollars. This was 9 years before the name of Rosa Parks in the States became known for her refusal to sit at the back of a bus and whose resistance was taken up by Martin Luther King. Viola Desmond is is now seen as an icon against segregation and will be honoured this year by being the first woman in front of our paper currency. ($10 dollar bill)
I attended school in New Glasgow from 1943 until 1956 and almost always attended the Roseland theatre at least once a week. It is a shock to me that I never heard of her during all that time. I still wonder if my Black classmates knew about Viola Desmond. I knew that Black citizens always sat on the balcony during shows but never questioned it. I must have thought when younger that they preferred the balcony seats. There were also many other ways our coloured population were segregated in the town. The first time I saw a coloured person sit in the main downstairs area in the Roseland was when I was in Grade 11. A group of high school football players came in with a fellow player who was dark skinned. I became nervous expecting a scene but nothing happened. After some time away I returned to New Glasgow in 1969. Segregation had ended rapidly following the fight for civil rights in the USA and the struggle for civil rights by some dedicated leaders and activists in Nova Scotia. The Roseland theatre had been replaced by one in the mall, but I am ashamed I still hadn’t heard of Viola Desmond and the brave activists for civil rights who followed.
This book also introduced me to two remarkable women. Wanda Robson, younger sister of Viola Desmond, who was active in having her sister pardoned in 2010. She went to university and graduated at the age of 77 . She since received an Honorary Doctorate for her work speaking, writing and educating people about the Black experience in Nova Scotia. She is still carrying on the task in her 90’s. I was also unaware of Pearleen Oliver who grew up in New Glasgow and moved to Halifax. She was instrumental in bringing Viola’s case to court, fighting for Black women to be trained in hospitals throughout Canada and to be employed thereafter in hospitals, and removing racially insensitive books from schools.
I feel the facts contained in this volume makes it an important book, but wish its organization made it more readable.
The story of the slave woman at Louisburg was fascinating , but her story near the beginning of the book was split from an inventory of her possessions near the end. These were auctioned off after she died as a free woman and an astute and trusted business woman. It showed what the items cost in old French currency, and I wished this list had been translated into English currency of the time.
The author mentions how we white Canadians have ignored or forgotten black struggles. Most of us have now learned about Viola Desmond and what happened to this intelligent and successful business woman from Halifax at the Roseland theatre in New Glasgow in 1947. Public awareness only became widespread when she was pardoned posthumously in 2010, and the pardon stated that no crime had ever been committed. We learned how she was manhandled forcefully from the theatre in 1947 and spent a night in jail for sitting in the downstairs section. She was charged of tax evasion of 1 cent and fined $26 dollars. This was 9 years before the name of Rosa Parks in the States became known for her refusal to sit at the back of a bus and whose resistance was taken up by Martin Luther King. Viola Desmond is is now seen as an icon against segregation and will be honoured this year by being the first woman in front of our paper currency. ($10 dollar bill)
I attended school in New Glasgow from 1943 until 1956 and almost always attended the Roseland theatre at least once a week. It is a shock to me that I never heard of her during all that time. I still wonder if my Black classmates knew about Viola Desmond. I knew that Black citizens always sat on the balcony during shows but never questioned it. I must have thought when younger that they preferred the balcony seats. There were also many other ways our coloured population were segregated in the town. The first time I saw a coloured person sit in the main downstairs area in the Roseland was when I was in Grade 11. A group of high school football players came in with a fellow player who was dark skinned. I became nervous expecting a scene but nothing happened. After some time away I returned to New Glasgow in 1969. Segregation had ended rapidly following the fight for civil rights in the USA and the struggle for civil rights by some dedicated leaders and activists in Nova Scotia. The Roseland theatre had been replaced by one in the mall, but I am ashamed I still hadn’t heard of Viola Desmond and the brave activists for civil rights who followed.
This book also introduced me to two remarkable women. Wanda Robson, younger sister of Viola Desmond, who was active in having her sister pardoned in 2010. She went to university and graduated at the age of 77 . She since received an Honorary Doctorate for her work speaking, writing and educating people about the Black experience in Nova Scotia. She is still carrying on the task in her 90’s. I was also unaware of Pearleen Oliver who grew up in New Glasgow and moved to Halifax. She was instrumental in bringing Viola’s case to court, fighting for Black women to be trained in hospitals throughout Canada and to be employed thereafter in hospitals, and removing racially insensitive books from schools.
I feel the facts contained in this volume makes it an important book, but wish its organization made it more readable.
May 10, 2016
This book is packed with a lot of useful facts but I think it's important to note — both myself as the reviewer and the author — that the author of this book is white so that readers can apply the appropriate lenses when reading the book.
Read this book for the facts and not the analysis.
Read this book for the facts and not the analysis.
February 8, 2018
This book is a must read for Canadians. People think Canada is a racial paradise, but ask any person of colour and they'll say otherwise. This book (please note written by a white man) outlines Viola Desmond's courageous story of defying a Jim Crow-esque law put in place in a Nova Scotia movie theatre. Pre-dating Rosa Parks by 9 years, Viola's act of defiance made waves towards racial progress...but only for a short period of time. This book is good at breaking down the historical racism of Canada throughout the land and how racism is ingrained in our fabric. As I mentioned, it's important to note that a white man did write this, but it's still a good jump off point for Canadians to read to realize just how racist this colonial country truly is.
October 12, 2017
It is very important, particularly for white folks, to learn & acknowledge Canada's history of racism & how these histories laid the foundation for race relations in present time. Slavery, enforced segregation, & strict immigration laws are some of the things that took place in Canada, despite the national tendency to overlook this history in favour of promoting the facade of Canada as "land of the free" (via Underground Railroad narratives & claims of valuing cultural diversity). White supremacy certainly looks different in Canada than it does in the southern US, however it's impacts are just as insidious in their perpetuation of injustice and moral depravity.
February 9, 2020
One of the best books on the subject of black people in Canada and racial segregation as the subtitle suggests. Most people associated Canada with the Underground Railroad and as the road to freedom, and while that is true, what is also true is that Canada participated in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, not only with people of African descent but also of First Nations (especially Pawnee peoples), particularly in Lower Canada (what is now Quebec and Montreal). The landmark book on the subject in my opinion continues to be "The Hanging of Angelique" by Dr. Afua Cooper, who is a leading historian on the history of black people in Canada.
This book offers interweaving narratives. One discusses Viola Desmond, her history in Nova Scotia, the history of not being permitted for black women to practice teaching unless it was at a segregated school, which Desmond did before becoming a successful beautician. The other thread discusses how people of African descent were forcibly brought to Canada, where, who purchased them, the famous cases of "Angelique" as referenced above, and much more. It is an excellent starting place for those who would like to gain a basic understanding of the subject matter.
This book offers interweaving narratives. One discusses Viola Desmond, her history in Nova Scotia, the history of not being permitted for black women to practice teaching unless it was at a segregated school, which Desmond did before becoming a successful beautician. The other thread discusses how people of African descent were forcibly brought to Canada, where, who purchased them, the famous cases of "Angelique" as referenced above, and much more. It is an excellent starting place for those who would like to gain a basic understanding of the subject matter.
February 14, 2021
I mistakenly thought this book was about Viola Desmond. The book is more as the title states, the history of blacks and racial segregation in Canada -- mainly Nova Scotia and Ontario. Most Canadians are familiar with civil rights icon Rosa Parks and her refusal to give up her seat on a racially segregated bus. Viola Desmond is often called Canada's Rosa Parks, as she had refused to give up her seat in a racially segregated New Glasgow theatre. What I learned in this book is that this event happened 9 years before Rosa Parks. I was particularly interested in the first person accounts and interviews with Viola's sister, Wanda, and leading black activist, Pearleen Oliver. I think it is particularly disgraceful that I have never heard of Pearleen Oliver. "One of Pearleen’s most significant achievements involved her successful struggle to allow Black girls admission to nursing schools so they could become practicing nurses in Canadian hospitals." Not only did I not learn about the history of women during my Nova Scotian education, but these important black women? Nothing.
April 6, 2019
This book shoukd be part of mandatory teachings for Canadian History. So many stories of resilient Black peiple paving the way for equality and human rights for individuals like myself in this country. Having completed a nursing degree I never knew about the 2 first Black women to finish nursing school in Halifax in the 1940. Its a shame but I'm happy that I now know.
September 16, 2020
Book group pick for September 2020. An eclectic mix of chapters on history of black people in Canada and memoirs of black people. Quite interesting, but not as good as a thorough history or a full memoir or an historical novel. I couldn't get the book in time through Libby so I had to buy a copy. Definitely not worth the money.
December 7, 2017
Mix of a bunch of essays and collections of research about the history of Black Canadians and racial segregation in Canada. Eye opening read for anyone learning more about the systematic racism today.
Personally I found the variety of content a bit disjointed to read, but it was all insightful.
Personally I found the variety of content a bit disjointed to read, but it was all insightful.
February 20, 2021
This history is important. A needed telling of Canadian history. A bit of a textbook feel but is a concise narrative that gives a starting point for anyone wishing to learn about the experience of black people in Canada.
July 21, 2020
Very informative, but not extremely readable.
Want to read
January 16, 2022Jan 2022
Trying to read more about POC in Canada instead of just the US. This book seems relevant if very academic ?
Trying to read more about POC in Canada instead of just the US. This book seems relevant if very academic ?
Read
July 15, 2020I feel like this book should be required reading for all Canadians - especially my fellow white Canadians! Until recently, I didn't know that there was slavery and racial segregation in Canada. This is obviously largely in part that I am white, and received a very white-washed education, but it's incredible to me that we learned about slavery and segregation in America, yet never discussed its place in Canada.
There's still so much of Canada's history that is ignored or purposefully suppressed, and I feel that books like these can be the start for (especially white) Canadians to begin unlearning their biases and understanding what Canada was/is like for BIPOC. It not only highlights the work of Viola Desmond and other Black Canadians to end racial segregation and discrimination in Canada, but it also explains the history of anti-black racism in Canada, further emphasizing how important their work is.
I'm leaving this unrated just because I never know how to rate academia (especially history stuff), but nonetheless I think this is worth the read!
There's still so much of Canada's history that is ignored or purposefully suppressed, and I feel that books like these can be the start for (especially white) Canadians to begin unlearning their biases and understanding what Canada was/is like for BIPOC. It not only highlights the work of Viola Desmond and other Black Canadians to end racial segregation and discrimination in Canada, but it also explains the history of anti-black racism in Canada, further emphasizing how important their work is.
I'm leaving this unrated just because I never know how to rate academia (especially history stuff), but nonetheless I think this is worth the read!
February 16, 2017
Really a 3.5 for me, but I rounded up because of the education it provided that I needed. This was an eye-opening book that succeeded thoroughly about disavowing me of the misconceptions I had of the depth of racism in this country beyond what I knew about success governments' immigrant policies. This book gives a lot of examples of the way racism permeated and attempted to twist the lives of black Canadians of successive generations. The strongest point of the book is the narrative history provided by Wanda Robson of her sister, Viola Desmond, who refused to cede her seat at the segregated Rosemont Theatre in New Glasgow in 1946. At the time, she was jailed and fined. The Government of Nova Scotia issued a Pardon without Mercy (meaning Desmond had never, in fact, done anything wrong) and late in 2016, the federal government announced beginning in 2018, she will become the first woman to grace the country's $10. It was an informative book, and I learned a lot of additional information about the Black Loyalists and Maroons that helped shape the foundation of black settlement in Nova Scotia. It was also a depressing book because it was true.
I would have liked a different structure in this book. The author broke the volume into narrative and documented history, and the result was a haphazard organization that I believe weakened the book's overall impact. I believe it would have been more impactful to leave Viola Desmond's story, as told by her sister Wanda Robson, to the end of the book to give it maximum force. It also made little sense to separate the story of Mary Marguerite Rose, a black slave in Fort Louisburg in Cape Breton, from the list of her possessions when she died a free woman, which was practice in Fort Louisburg at that time. it would have reinforced what we were supposed to learn about the uniqueness of her situation if the narratives and theories behind her life as a free woman were presented more cohesively.
I would have liked a different structure in this book. The author broke the volume into narrative and documented history, and the result was a haphazard organization that I believe weakened the book's overall impact. I believe it would have been more impactful to leave Viola Desmond's story, as told by her sister Wanda Robson, to the end of the book to give it maximum force. It also made little sense to separate the story of Mary Marguerite Rose, a black slave in Fort Louisburg in Cape Breton, from the list of her possessions when she died a free woman, which was practice in Fort Louisburg at that time. it would have reinforced what we were supposed to learn about the uniqueness of her situation if the narratives and theories behind her life as a free woman were presented more cohesively.
May 15, 2018
A very good book but I would have liked to have learnt more about Viola Desmond.
July 9, 2020
A hard read as a Canadian but it's vital to understand history if we want to be better.
May 1, 2017
Interesting and informative. Contained a ton of information I had never been exposed to about Canada's history. However, it mostly focused on Eastern Canada and was not as comprehensive as I would have liked.
Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews