Photo credit: Wayne Talbot

Read this excellent article of the Truro celebration by Suzanne Rent in The Examiner.

The ribbon is cut (from left to right) Truro Mayor Cathy Hinton, Shelley MacLean (the only living woman of the four honoured), Society chair Anne Marie Lane Jonah and Elder Shawn Munro.

Despite the rainy weather, 100 people gathered on the site to participate in the ceremony.

Children laid flowers under the portrait of their ancestor.
All the children are descendants of the women educators and Vera Clyke.

Neron Foster

Neron is a 15-year-old student in Grade 9 at Cobequid Education Centre. He has a passion for sports and takes pride in dressing well for church on Sundays. Born in Jamaica, Neron moved to Canada with his parents at the age of four. He understands the importance of being an active member of the African Nova Scotian community and participates in the Imhotep’s Legacy Academy program. Neron appreciates the sacrifices made by those who came before him and is proud to contribute as a young immigrant in Canada.

Elijah Morton-Ross

Elijah Morton-Ross is the great-great nephew of Willena Jones. Elijah has a beautiful soul and is a loving friend, amazing big brother, and an inspiration in his community. He was a recipient of the Halifax Community Investment Fund Award in 2024 for serving his community with compassion and leadership. He volunteers as a junior youth leader for Saint George’s YouthNet, and for the Africville Reunion annually. He currently is attending a program once a week at Hope Blooms, and he is learning about producing and song writing. He likes Hip-hop. 🙂

Elijah traveled to Italy in April of this year for his senior school trip and has plans to attend the music program at Nova Scotia Community College next fall.

Elijah is an advocate for the Autism community who spreads love and kindness everywhere he goes. He works at Sobeys; you can find him on days off spending time with his family and friends or going to the gym to work out.

Brian Byard

Brian Byard Brian is in Grade 10 student at Cobequid Educational Centre in Truro, NS. He is the great nephew of Shelley MacLean. Brian is the oldest of two brothers. With his family, his interests are geological time frames, video editing and the film industry. Brian has autism. He was recently invited by YouTube to monetize his page and enjoys interacting with his subscribers. Brian hardly ever misses attending church at Zion United Baptist in Truro.

Jayda Ford-King

Jayda is in Grade 4 and is 10 years old as of yesterday (May 22). She is the great, great, great niece of Vera Clyke. She is enrolled at École acadienne de Truro. She is attempting to master her skills in jujitsu and looks forward to hopefully competing against other talented opponents in the future. Jayda also has a passion for video games and music. She loves to sing and learn how to play the guitar.

Aria Sealey

Aria Sealey is Donna Byard Sealey’s youngest granddaughter. Aria is a Grade 5 student at Colby Elementary school. She is a very talented and athletic 11-year-old, as Aria competes in competitive swimming with the Dartmouth Crusaders swim team. Aria has big aspirations for her future. She wants to become a Marine Biologist when gets older.

Biographies and Portraits

Martha Eleanor Jones (1860-1918)

The first African Nova Scotian woman to attend the Truro Normal School, Martha Jones taught throughout Nova Scotia. Despite her petitions to government, she was prohibited from teaching in white schools due to anti-Black racism. Students referred to her as their greatest teacher. A leader in her church, she helped found the African United Baptist Association Ladies Auxiliary, which still functions today. She was a passionate advocate for community, human rights, and for preserving and telling the history of enslavement of Black people in Nova Scotia.

Painting by Letitia Fraser

Willena Beatrice (Corbin Gabriel) Jones (1915-2010)

Willena Jones was the first Black teacher to be hired in the Truro school system. She graduated from the Nova Scotia Teachers’ College at age 60 and received many honours for her leadership in education, church, and the community. Likely inspired by her mother-in-law Ethel Jones’ 1929 talk “The Achievement and Accomplishments of Colored Women within 65 Years,” she gave a life of service, reflecting the heroism and influence of Black women as mothers, teachers, and community leaders. 

Painting by Letitia Fraser

Donna Lee Byard Sealey (1940-2015)

Upon graduating from Nova Scotia Normal College and Dalhousie University (B.A., B.Ed. and M.A.) Donna Byard Sealey was the first Black person to be employed as a teacher in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. She worked on behalf of Black students addressing the barriers they faced. Her research laid the foundation for the Transition Year Program at Dalhousie. Committed to social justice, she was a dedicated historian, and community and church volunteer. Her book, Colored Zion, celebrates the history of the Black community and church in Truro.

Painting by Letitia Fraser

Ann Michelle (Shelley) MacLean (1968- )

Michelle (Shelley) MacLean studied French at Université Sainte-Anne. She was the first African Nova Scotian French Immersion teacher to graduate from Nova Scotia Teachers College, and earn her Masters in Educational Leadership at St. Francis Xavier University. She also has the distinction of being the first person of African ancestry to become school principal in Truro. She later served as Coordinator of African Canadian Education & Services with the Chignecto Central Regional Centre for Education (CCRCE) before being promoted to the position of Director of Programs & Student Services with CCRCE, another first in executive leadership for a person of African Heritage.

Painting by Letitia Fraser

Vera (Halfkenny) Clyke 1908-1998

Born in Amherst to a renowned African Nova Scotian musical family, Vera and the family moved to Truro where she married Albert Sinclair (Jim) Clyke, cousin of famed singer Portia White. Following in the footsteps of her mother, Sarah (Byard) Halfkenny, Vera, at the age of 19, began playing the organ at Truro’s Zion United Baptist Church, a position she held for 71 years. She was the longest serving organist in the history of the African United Baptist Association (AUBA). Her loving ministry of music and enduring service in various capacities touched many lives. In her own words, she said, “God has been good to me” and we, in turn, honour her goodness in our community.

Painting by Bruce Wood

About the Artist

Letitia Fraser is an interdisciplinary artist, whose work centres around her experience as an African Nova Scotian woman, growing up in the province’s Black communities of North Preston and Beechville. Descending from a long line of artists, her creative instincts were nurtured early in life. Through a combination of painting and textiles, she unearths previously untold narratives and pays homage to her community’s history of quilting.

Recent exhibitions include Family Patterns with Darcie Bernhardt at the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia (2022), Every Chain at the Chester Art Gallery, Halifax (2022), Letitia Fraser at Mount St. Vincent Art Gallery, Nova Scotia (2019) and Mommy’s Patches: Traditions & Superstitions at the Anna Leonowens Gallery, Nova Scotia (2019). She graduated with a BFA from NSCAD University in 2019. She is the recipient of numerous awards including the 2018 Nova Scotia Talent Trust RBC Emerging Artist Award and was recently longlisted for the 2022 Sobey Art Award. Her work is included in several private and public collections including the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia, Scotiabank, the Canada Council and the Wedge Collection.