List of Black Nova Scotians

This is a list of notable Black Nova Scotians.

Politicians

 * Wayne Adams
 * Yvonne Atwell
 * Wanda Thomas Bernard, Canadian Senator
 * Mayann Francis, first black woman Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia
 * Daurene Lewis, first black woman mayor in Canada; recipient of Order of Canada
 * Donald Oliver, first black man to have a seat in the Senate; recipient of Order of Canada
 * Calvin Ruck, recipient of Order of Canada
 * Bill White

Artists

 * Gary Beals, R&B musician
 * Keonte Beals, R&B musician
 * Walter Borden, actor
 * George Boyd, playwright/journalist
 * George Elliott Clarke, poet and playwright
 * Sterling Jarvis, singer and actor
 * Carshae Beals, R&B musician and actor
 * Cy McLean, pianist and band leader
 * Kaleb Simmonds, R&B musician
 * Faith Nolan, folk and jazz musician
 * Rob "Blye" Paris of Citizen Kane, rapper
 * Jamie Sparks, R&B singer, composer, and brother of Jeremiah Sparks
 * Nelson Symonds, jazz guitarist
 * Maxine Tynes, poet and educator
 * Portia White, operatic contralto

Filmmakers

 * Cory Bowles, Actor, Director

Athletes

 * Marjorie Bailey, sprinter
 * George Dixon, boxer
 * Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, American actor and former professional wrestler, son of Rocky Johnson
 * Kirk Johnson, boxer
 * Rocky Johnson, wrestler, father of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and grandfather of Simone Johnson
 * Sam Langford, boxer
 * Simone Johnson, American professional wrestler, daughter of Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and granddaughter of Rocky Johnson.
 * Lindell Wigginton, basketball player
 * Bill Riley, hockey player


 * Wayne Smith, football player
 * Alton White, hockey player
 * Tyrone Williams, football player
 * Pokey Reddick, hockey player
 * Ricky Anderson, boxer
 * Leonard Sinclair Sparks, boxer
 * Art Dorrington, hockey player
 * Stan 'Chook' Maxwell, hockey player
 * Clyde Gray, boxer
 * David Downey, boxer
 * Ray Downey, boxer
 * Wayne Simmonds, hockey player

Veterans

 * William Hall, Victoria Cross recipient
 * Benjamin Jackson, sailor and Civil War soldier
 * Jeremiah Jones, World WarI soldier
 * Joseph B. Noil, sailor and Medal of Honor recipient
 * Isaac Phills, World WarI soldier and Order of Canada recipient
 * William A. White, chaplain of No. 2 Construction Battalion in the Canadian Army in World WarI
 * Three Black Nova Scotians served in the American Civil War in the 54th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry: Hammel Gilyer, Samuel Hazzard, and Thomas Page.

Activists

 * Carrie Best, journalist and social activist
 * Viola Desmond, businesswoman and civil rights advocate
 * Burnley "Rocky" Jones, political activist
 * El Jones, activist
 * Joan Jones, political activist, businesswoman
 * William Pearly Oliver
 * Calvin W. Ruck, author of The Black Battalion

Other notables

 * Rose Fortune, considered first black woman police officer in Canada
 * Donald D. Skeir, pastor and teacher
 * James Robinson Johnston, lawyer and community leader
 * Beverly Mascoll, businesswoman
 * Maurice Ruddick (1912–1988), citizen of the year for his role in the 1958 Springhill Mining Disaster
 * Corrine Sparks, first African Nova Scotian to be appointed to the judiciary and first African Canadian woman to serve on the bench.
 * Edith Hester McDonald-Brown, considered first documented Black female painter in Canadian art history.
 * John Paris Jr., the first Black person to coach a pro hockey team.