John Edgar "Jack" White (July 10, 1925 - September 10, 2002) was a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

labour union A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits (su ...

activist. He was the first elected

black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white ...

representative of the

Ironworkers An ironworker is a tradesman who works in the iron-working industry. Ironworkers assemble the structural framework in accordance with engineered drawings and install the metal support pieces for new buildings. They also repair and renovate ...

, and one of the first

Canadian Union of Public Employees The Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE; french: Syndicat canadien de la fonction publique, links=no; french: SCFP, link=, label=none) is a Canadian trade union serving the public sector – although it has in recent years organized workpl ...

(CUPE) national staff representatives from a minority background. Born in

Truro, Nova Scotia Truro (Mi'kmaq: ''Wagobagitik''; Scottish Gaelic: ''Truru'') is a town in central Nova Scotia, Canada. Truro is the shire town of Colchester County and is located on the south side of the Salmon River floodplain, close to the river's mouth at ...

, White was one of the first black Canadians to run for election to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario for the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation in 1959. He stood as an

Ontario New Democratic Party The Ontario New Democratic Party (french: link=no, Nouveau Parti démocratique de l'Ontario; abbr. ONDP or NDP) is a social-democratic political party in Ontario, Canada. The party currently forms the Official Opposition in Ontario following th ...

candidate in

Dovercourt Dovercourt is a small seaside town and former civil parish, now in the parish of Harwich, in the Tendring district, in the county of Essex, England. It is older than its smaller but better-known neighbour, the port of Harwich, and appears in ...

in the 1963 election. In the early 1960s, White was involved with a Toronto-based newspaper''.'' White was the son of Izie Dora White and Baptist minister William A. White, who served at

Cornwallis Street Baptist Church New Horizons Baptist Church is a Baptist church in Halifax, Nova Scotia that was established by Black Refugees in 1832. When the chapel was completed, black citizens of Halifax were reported to be proud because it was evidence that former slaves ...

in Halifax for nearly 20 years. His mother was born in Nova Scotia and his father migrated from the United States, where he was born to former slaves in Virginia. From a family of 13 children, several of whom achieved national distinction, White was a brother of famed Canadian

opera Opera is a form of theatre in which music is a fundamental component and dramatic roles are taken by singers. Such a "work" (the literal translation of the Italian word "opera") is typically a collaboration between a composer and a libr ...

singer

Portia White Portia May White (June 24, 1911February 13, 1968) was a Canadian contralto, known for becoming the first Black Canadian concert singer to achieve international fame. Growing up as part of her father's church choir in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Whit ...

and politician Bill White, the first black Canadian to run for federal office. His niece Sheila White is a political strategist for the New Democratic Party, and his nephew Donald H. Oliver served several years as the first Black Canadian member of the Senate.

Legacy

* Jack White Community Service Award given by the

Coalition of Black Trade Unionists The Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU) is a nonprofit organization of African American trade union members affiliated with the AFL–CIO. More than 50 different international and national trade unions are represented in CBTU and there are 50 ...

(CBTU)

References

External links

CUPE Tribute to Jack White
Black Canadian politicians Black Nova Scotians Trade unionists from Ontario Canadian people of African-American descent Canadian people of American descent Ontario New Democratic Party candidates in Ontario provincial elections People from Colchester County Politicians from Toronto 1925 births 2002 deaths Black Canadian trade unionists Coalition of Black Trade Unionists people {{Ontario-politician-stub