Clement Courtenay Ligoure (13 October 1887 – 23 May 1922) was a Trinidadian doctor and newspaper publisher who was the first Black physician to practise in
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland".
Most of the population are native Eng ...
, Canada.
He is also noted for treating hundreds of victims of the
Halifax Explosion
On the morning of 6 December 1917, the French cargo ship collided with the Norwegian vessel in the waters of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The ''Mont-Blanc'', laden with high explosives, caught fire and exploded, devastating the Richmond ...
from his home clinic as well as being an editor and publisher of ''The Atlantic Advocate'' newspaper.
Early life and education
Born in
San Fernando
San Fernando may refer to:
People
*Ferdinand III of Castile (c. 1200–1252), called ''San Fernando'' (Spanish) or ''Saint Ferdinand'', King of Castile, León, and Galicia
Places Argentina
*San Fernando de la Buena Vista, city of Greater Buenos ...
,
Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago (, ), officially the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, is the southernmost island country in the Caribbean. Consisting of the main islands Trinidad and Tobago, and numerous much smaller islands, it is situated south of ...
, he was the son of Clement François and Amanda M. (née) Crooke. His father worked for the Supreme Court of Trinidad and Tobago.
In April of 1906 at age 18, Clement Ligoure immigrated to the United States. That same year, he started studies at
Queen's University in
Ontario
Ontario ( ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada.Ontario is located in the geographic eastern half of Canada, but it has historically and politically been considered to be part of Central Canada. Located in Central Ca ...
, Canada.
At the university, he earned a Bachelor of Medicine Degree in 1914 and a Doctor of Medicine degree in 1916.
Career
Military and early medical work
With World War I underway, Ligoure enlisted in the Canadian military and ended up travelling to
Halifax, Nova Scotia—arriving in 1916,
two months after getting his final degree
—to be a medical officer in the
No. 2 Construction Battalion
The No. 2 Construction Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF), was raised in Nova Scotia and was one of two predominantly Black battalions in Canadian military history and the only Canadian battalion composed of Black soldiers to serve i ...
,
made up of Black recruits. However, an "error" in the application resulted in him being replaced by a white physician, "likely due to the British War Office ergo the Canadian Department of Militias and Defence refusing to see past the colour bar."
He still assisted by raising money
and spent seven months recruiting for the battalion.
Despite being a licensed physician, Ligoure was not allowed to use hospitals in Halifax.
Still, he served as medical officer for Canadian National Railway workers.
His fifteen-person clinic
was located in his house and named the Amanda Private Hospital for his mother.
Halifax Explosion
After the
Halifax Explosion
On the morning of 6 December 1917, the French cargo ship collided with the Norwegian vessel in the waters of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The ''Mont-Blanc'', laden with high explosives, caught fire and exploded, devastating the Richmond ...
on 6 December 1917, Ligoure worked long hours to treat blast victims.
Some of the patients that filled his clinic had been unable to get medical help elsewhere.
In a statement to Dr. Archibald MacMechan, Ligoure conveyed that he worked day and night:
In spite of the warning of a second explosion, he worked steadily till 8 p.m. ... Seven people spent the night in his office, laid upon blankets. On December 7th, 8th and 9th, he worked steadily both night and day, doing outside work at night.
At first his only support was from his housekeeper and his boarder.
On 10 December, Ligoure requested assistance from City Hall and received two nurses to come with him to establish an "official dressing station" for changing and applying bandages.
Eventually, he was leading ten nurses, six other women and four soldiers (one of whom was a physician).
His work continued to 28 December, with records indicating nearly 200 patients were helped each day.
His patients were almost all White.
According to archival records, patients were not charged.
This work has led him to be recognized as a "local hero"
and "unsung hero".
''The Atlantic Advocate'' newspaper
Ligoure served as the editor and publisher of ''The Atlantic Advocate''.
Publication took place in the home he had purchased in 1917 at 166 North Street.
It was the first newspaper in Nova Scotia owned and published by Black Canadians. The newspaper ran from 1915 to 1917 and its masthead read: "Devoted to the interests of colored people."
Death and legacy
During a visit with his brother Clarence in Tobago, Ligoure contracted malignant malaria. He was transported to the Colonial Hospital in Port of Spain, Trinidad, where he died on 23 May 1922.
David Woods' play ''Extraordinary Acts'', in part, dramatized Ligoure's role in the Halifax Explosion. It was scheduled to be staged in 2020, but was delayed due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
.
An inaugural "Dr. Clement Ligoure Award" was given in 2021 by the Doctors Nova Scotia organization to Nova Scotia's Chief Medical Officer of Health.
It is a non-annual prize given to a physician for handling a medical crisis in Nova Scotia.
In Halifax, the former house of Ligoure (of which only a part still stands
) was given heritage status on 24 January 2023. The decision by Halifax's regional council followed lobbying efforts by notable Black community members.
The house is listed at 5812-14 North Street,
and was built in 1892.
References
External links
Personal account of the aftermath of Halifax Explosion by Clement Ligourefrom
Nova Scotia Archives
Nova Scotia Archives is a governmental archival institution serving the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. The archives acquires, preserves and makes available the province's documentary heritage – recorded information of provincial significance ...
Heritage Designation Application for 5812-14/ 166 North St, Halifaxfrom Friends of the Halifax Common
Digitized issues and overview of ''The Atlantic Advocate''from Nova Scotia Archives
Death Noticean
Funeral of Dr. Ligoure ''Port of Spain Gazette /'
''Digital Library of the Caribbean'' (dLOC)fro
Joel Zemel articleby Bridgial Pachai & Henry Bishop (2006, Nimbus Publishing).
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ligoure, Clement
1887 births
1922 deaths
Queen's University at Kingston alumni
Canadian newspaper editors
Canadian newspaper publishers (people)
Trinidad and Tobago physicians
20th-century Canadian physicians
Trinidad and Tobago emigrants to Canada
People from San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago
People from Halifax, Nova Scotia
Canadian general practitioners
Physicians from Nova Scotia
Black Nova Scotians