Viola Desmond’s Canada: A History of Blacks and Racial Segregation in the Promised Land

Dive into the compelling narrative of "Viola Desmond’s Canada: A History of Blacks and Racial Segregation in the Promised Land," which sheds light on the often overlooked history of racial justice in Canada. This thought-provoking book, hailed as the best non-fiction read of 2016 by The Miramichi Reader and winner of the 2017 Robbie Robertson Dartmouth Book Award for Non-Fiction, centers on the pioneering spirit of Viola Desmond. In 1946, Desmond courageously challenged racial segregation by refusing to leave a whites-only section of a movie theater, a full nine years before Rosa Parks' similar act of defiance became emblematic of the American Civil Rights Movement. Author Graham Reynolds, with contributions from Desmond's sister Wanda Robson, weaves a detailed tapestry of the Black experience from the era of slavery in 18th-century Canada to the 20th-century battles for equality. Ideal for high school readers, this book comes with a new teaching guide that enhances its educational impact, making it a perfect resource for exploring themes of racial justice and historical memory.