of African Nova Scotians
H. Donald Thomas.
Do a presentation for your class that demonstrates an aspect of popular culture that has been shaped or influenced by black people in North America. Create, perform, illustrate or use examples of art, music, dance, fashion, spoken word, etc., for your presentation.
Pte. Vernal Braithwaite
Pte. Eric E. Langford
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Brothers Wilford, Curtiss and George Borden, Airforce and Cpl. Marlene (Tynes) Clyke, Army.
crusader” for equal rights in Nova Scotia. Like White, Kinney, States and others before them, Reverend and Pearleen Oliver continued to encourage participation in Church programs and action committees. With groups that included Ladies’ Auxiliaries, Laymen’s Councils, the Baptist Young Peoples Union (B.Y.P.U.) and Canadian Girls in Training (C.G.I.T.), the AUBA membership claimed to include nearly half of all African Nova Scotians. The beginning of the 20th century coincided with the largest influx of black immigrants to Nova Scotia since 1815. These new African Nova Scotians arrived from the Caribbean and settled primarily in Cape Breton and Halifax. Their arrival lent impetus to the new social consciousness. In 1915, a group of these new African Nova Scotians including Wilfred DeCosta, Dr Clement Ligoure, Ethelbert Cross, William Thomas, Fitzgerald Jemmott and others started The Atlantic Advocate, Nova Scotia’s first black periodical. The aim of The Advocate was “to show our people the need for unity, the desire to stand always for the right and to keep before them the dignity of true and honest toil.” The demands of WWI saw the demise of The Advocate. DeCosta, Cross and Thomas enlisted and served with the No.2 Construction Battalion. Jemmott, the first editor, went on to teach school at Africville for nearly 30 years. The Universal Negro Improvement As-
sociation (UNIA) opened a chapter in Glace Bay in 1918. Started by Marcus Garvey, a Jamaican national hero, the UNIA was founded “to promote social, political and economic freedom for Blacks.” The chapter opened a hostel and community center for immigrants from the West Indies who had come to work in the coal mine at the top of Jessome Street. Money to reimburse the coal company for the cost of their fare to Cape Breton was taken directly from their pay, and often these new arrivals would have to wait years in order to save enough
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passed his passion for music on to his children. His son Lorne and his daughter Yvonne toured widely and were chosen to perform at the opening of the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary. His daughter Portia taught school at Africville, Lucasville and at the Home for Colored Children in Westphal before studying music. In 1943, she received the inaugural Nova Scotia Talent Trust Award and went on to become an
internationally renowned contralto. The Portia White Memorial Award for Excellence in the Arts is presented annually in her honour. Another daughter, Helena, was also a well-known singer. Helena gave up touring professionally after she married Clifford Oliver of Wolfville. Their son Donald would become the first African Nova Scotian Senator. Reverend White’s son, William White Jr., was the first African Canadian to run for federal office. He was invested into the Order of Canada in 1970. After his death in 1936, Reverend White was succeeded as pastor of Cornwallis Street Baptist Church by Reverend William Pearly Oliver. William Oliver was born and raised in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. His father, Clifford Havelock Oliver, and his grandfather, William Oliver Sr. had both worked as custodians at Acadia University. After finishing high school, he enrolled at Acadia and earned his BA in 1934 and his Divinity Degree in 1936. That same year, Reverend Oliver was assigned as pastor to the 2nd Baptist Church in New Glasgow. While there, he met and married Althea Pearleen Borden. Pearleen Borden was the first black graduate of New Glasgow High School. After finishing high school, Pearleen applied to nursing school but, because of racial discrimination, was denied admission. No doubt this experience fueled her relentless work for social justice and gained her a reputation as a “militant
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Reverend William Andrew White.
The 1871 Census lists Mary Bauld as a school teacher in Hammonds Plains.
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The Times
The Halifax Coloured Citizens’ Improvement League picnic at Point Pleasant Park, Halifax.
People of African descent have helped define popular culture in North America. Their influence has shaped modern music, dance, fashion, art and language. Evidence of that influence is all around us. For example, the language of African American jazz players, known as jive talk, has passed into the language of everyday use. The New Cab Calloway’s Hepsters Dictionary: Language of Jive was published in 1944 and was “the first glossary of words, expressions, and general patois employed by musicians and entertainers in New York’s teeming Harlem”. Many of those words and expressions are still used in today’s popular slang. Yeah, Man: an exclamation of assent Too much: term of highest praise Stache: to hide away, to secrete Square: an unhip person Solid: great, swell Sharp: neat, smart Riff: musical phrase Pad: bed Out of this world: perfect Mellow: all right, fine Latch on: take hold, get wise to
Joint is jumping: the place is lively Jam: improvised swing music In the groove: perfect, no deviation Hype: persuasive talk, build up for a loan Hip: wise, sophisticated Have a ball: to enjoy yourself Groovy: fine Chick: girl Cat: musician in a swing band Beat up: sad, tired Beat: exhausted
Cab Calloway