Some Black Women: Profiles of Black Women in Canada

Janet Arnett is the former campus manager of adult education at Ontario’s Georgian College. She is the author of Antiques and Collectibles: Starting Small, The Grange at Knock, and 673 Ways to Save Money.

On first reading, I could not grasp the purpose of this book. The
content is straightforward enough: short profiles of 80 notable Black
women; notes on Black churches, media, organizations, and landmarks;
bibliographies of publications, films, and videos by Black women; lists
of bursaries and awards named after outstanding Blacks; and a chronology
called “Quick Facts on Blacks.”

In content, the book resembles a high-school yearbook, wherein lies the
key to its purpose, for it is a yearbook for Black women—a pause to
acknowledge individuals and accomplishments before moving on.

The women profiled come from many parts of Canada and excelled in
fields as diverse as government, music, librarianship, the military, the
church, education, and the arts. The profiles, though brief, are well
written and packed with detail. As a Who’s Who of high achievers, the
work identifies a wealth of role models for girls of any color, and
constitutes an inventory of women to be honored and respected by all
Canadians.