Today’s Doodle honours Carrie Best, a Canadian activist, novelist, writer, publisher, and broadcaster who co-founded The Clarion, one of the first Nova Scotian newspapers owned and run by Black Canadians, and is illustrated by Toronto, Ontario, Canada-based guest artist Alexis Eke. Best was named a Member of the Order of Canada in 1974 for her humanitarian services, and on this day in 1979, she was promoted to Officer of the Order of Canada.
Carrie Mae Prevoe was born in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, on March 4, 1903, at a time when racial discrimination was rampant. She opted at a young age, encouraged by her parents, to reject racial stereotypes and immerse herself in historical and literary works published by Black Canadians and African-Americans. She married Albert T. Best in 1925.
Best was arrested in 1943 for sitting in the “white only” section of New Glasgow’s Roseland Theatre in protest of the forcible removal of several Black teenagers who had attempted to sit there just days before. She then sued the theatre for racial discrimination, but the case was dismissed. This experience only fueled her desire for equal rights.
Best launched The Clarion in 1946 to publish news from and about the Black community in the United States. Best started her own radio show, “The Quiet Corner,” in 1952, and for the next 12 years, she transmitted music and read poetry, typically about human rights. Best was also a vocal supporter of Indigenous peoples’ rights.
In 1975 and 1992, honorary law doctorates were awarded to Best for his services. One of the institutions that honoured Best is the University of King’s College in Halifax, which continues to celebrate her legacy by awarding a scholarship named after her to excellent Black and Indigenous Canadian students.
Thank you for working for marginalised people’s futures in Canada and internationally. Carrie is the best!