Sharon Robart-Johnson, Author at

Independent Historian

Sharon Robart-Johnson has a rich cultural background comprised of both African and European ancestry. She is a thirteenth generation Nova Scotian and part or her heritage dates back to the early slaves who were brought to the Digby County, Nova Scotia area in the late 1700s and to the Black Loyalists who arrived in Shelburne (Nova Scotia) in 1783. Her passion for researching Black history began in 1993. Sharon is a Board member of the Yarmouth County Historical Society which owns and operates the Yarmouth County Museum and Archives. She has five years of archival experience and holds the position of Publications Chairperson for the Society.

Viola Davis Desmond (1914-1965)

Canadian entrepreneur Viola Desmond was arrested in 1946 for refusing to leave a segregated section of a Nova Scotia movie theatre. She was physically injured by police in the incident but was convicted and fined by local courts. She was posthumously pardoned in 2010. Born … Read MoreViola Davis Desmond (1914-1965)

Mathieu Da Costa (17th Century?)

Mathieu Da Costa, a free black seaman, is believed to be the first person of African ancestry to reach Canada and he is the first recorded black man to visit the region of Port Royal in Nova Scotia. Although little is known of his background … Read MoreMathieu Da Costa (17th Century?)

Anderson Ruffin Abbott (1837-1913)

Anderson Ruffin Abbott, Canada’s first black doctor, was born April 7, 1837 in Toronto, Ontario. He was the son of free black property owners William Ruffin Abbott and his wife Ellen (Toyer) Abbott who left Alabama after their store had been destroyed. They settled briefly … Read MoreAnderson Ruffin Abbott (1837-1913)

Mayann Elizabeth Francis (1946- )

Her Honour the Honourable Mayann Elizabeth Francis, O.N.S., DHumL, is the first African Nova Scotian and only the second woman to have held the position of Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia in its 400-year history. Francis was born and raised in the Whitney Pier district … Read MoreMayann Elizabeth Francis (1946- )

Slavery and Freedom on a Canadian Shore: Africa’s Children in Nova Scotia, 1750-2009

In the account below Nova Scotian historian Sharon Robart-Johnson describes the research and writing that culminated in her book, African’s Children: A History of Blacks in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Her book, the first history of Afro-Canadians in Nova Scotia, focuses on her community of Greenville, … Read MoreSlavery and Freedom on a Canadian Shore: Africa’s Children in Nova Scotia, 1750-2009