# List of Black Nova Scotians

This is a list of notable Black Nova Scotians.

## Politicians

* Wayne Adams
* Yvonne Atwell
* 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

## Artists

* 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

## Filmmakers

* Cory Bowles, Actor, Director

## Athletes

* Marjorie Bailey, sprinter
* George Dixon, boxer
* Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, American actor and former professional wrestler, 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

## Veterans

* William Hall, Victoria Cross recipient
* Benjamin Jackson, sailor and Civil War soldier
* Jeremiah Jones, World War I soldier
* Joseph B. Noil, sailor and Medal of Honor recipient
* Isaac Phills, World War I soldier and Order of Canada recipient
* William A. White, chaplain of No. 2 Construction Battalion in the Canadian Army in World War I
* Three Black Nova Scotians served in the American Civil War in the 54th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry: Hammel Gilyer, Samuel Hazzard, and Thomas Page.

## 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 and teacher
* James Robinson Johnston, lawyer and community leader
* 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., the first Black person to coach a pro hockey team.