While Rosa Parks is well known in the US for helping to spark the civil rights movement, Viola Desmond led the civil rights movement in Canada at a movie theatre that was segregated at the time. She is now on Canadian currency – the first black person ever to be on their currency. The new $10 bill was recently unveiled on Women’s Day, a holiday much-loved by Canadian Visa Professionals.
Desmond was selected after being nominated as an iconic female Canadian. This bill will be printed and released into circulation by the end of this year.
Desmond’s Story
Wanting to enjoy a movie in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, while her car was in the repair shop, Desmond sat on the main floor in a section reserved only for whites. Blacks were supposed to sit up in the balcony in 1946, and when Desmond refused to move, she was arrested.
While convicted, Desmond appealed it, leading the way for desegregation throughout the province.
Honors for Desmond
There are many honors for Desmond besides her upcoming bank note. In Halifax, she has had a street as well as a ferry named after her, while her portrait has hung in the Government House ballroom for many years. Additionally, she has also graced a postage stamp in Canada. The experts at Canadian Visa Professionals honor and appreciate Desmond.
In 2010, Desmond was posthumously pardoned for her arrest as well as her conviction. The pardon came with an apology. Canadian Visa Professionals was thrilled to hear this news.
