Recognizing the Feminist Contributions of Black Women in Canada

In the dual fight against gender and racial oppression, Black women in Canada have made pivotal contributions. Despite being overshadowed by their white and male counterparts, they have been central to feminist and civil rights efforts, both historically and in contemporary contexts. Within Black feminist activism, notions of intersectionality have underscored their activism. By this, the barriers Black women experience are recognized not solely as an outcome of racism or sexism but as arising from their compounding intersection.  

During the mid-20th century, which was a period of immense social unrest in Canada, second-wave feminist organizations arose to challenge discrimination and violence against women. While mainstream (white, middle-class) women remained most visible in this movement, the era saw significant and widespread contributions by women of colour. For example, Black feminist activist Kathleen (Kay) Livingstone founded the Canadian Negro Women’s Association (CANEWA) in 1951 and would organize the first National Congress of Black Women (CBWC) in 1973 in Toronto. The CANEWA aimed to appreciate the merits of Black Canadians, launching a scholarship program for Black students and hosting fundraising events such as Negro History Week (which would evolve into Black History Month). The CBWC brought together over 200 Black women from across Canada and sought to create a network for Black women to voice their concerns and ideas. Conferences would later take place across the country, leading to its establishment as a national organization in 1980. Another example of an influential Black woman of this time was Rosemary Brown, who was Canada’s first Black female member of a provincial legislature and the first woman to run for leadership of a federal political party. In 1956, Brown also aided in founding the British Columbia Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (BCAACP), which worked to expand housing and employment opportunities for Black people in BC, and for the introduction of human rights legislation into parliament.

Today, Black women in Canada continue to shape contemporary feminism, making invaluable contributions across various sectors. For instance, Dr. Chika Stacy Oriuwa, a psychiatry resident at the University of Toronto, has addressed systemic racism within the medical field. She was the first Black woman valedictorian at the University’s Faculty of Medicine in 2020, and was selected as a Barbie Role Model in 2021, recognizing her influence as a role model for Black girls. Further, the literary and artistic contributions of Black women in Canada have been instrumental in dismantling normative expectation set for women and Black individuals. For example, the work of Vancouver-based poet and activist Jillian Christmas discusses anti-colonialism and family heritage, while integrating her queer identity.  

Overall, recognizing the influential activism by Black women is essential in creating a more inclusive and intersectional feminist movement. Despite being overshadowed historically, their work has challenged and continues to challenge systemic barriers in Canada.