Mary Shadd Equality

In this generation, there is little to no mention of influential people in Canadian history who have significantly contributed to shaping this country’s diversity. More specifically, the mention of black Canadian women who have actively challenged how we perceive race and equality. Mary Ann Shadd is one of these women, for she used her knowledge and understanding of the importance of equality throughout Canada to break down barriers set upon African-Americans. Mary Ann Shadd, an abolitionist edited and published a newspaper specifically directed towards African Americans, created an educating school for all races and encouraged many African Americans to emigrate to Canada. Acknowledging these achievements, Mary Ann Shadd is a great role model

Later on, she opened an educating school for all races who could afford to attend, as education was not available publicly at the time, which was founded by the American Missionary Association. However, when she started to teach at the school she vigorously refused the racial separation of the children and dismissed the idea of pushing a segregated education. Near this time, Shadd who was against segregation among schools for black children, got caught in a heated debate with Henry and Mary Bibb, who preferred segregation. As a result of her public outspokenness and the fact that their dispute spilled onto the Bibb’s newspaper, Shadd lost the funding from the American Missionary Association for her school. Although, Shadd never gave up on her opposition regarding segregation because she believed that every individual had an equal potential for success, and that education, hard work and self-reliance were the key to equality (“The Mary Ann”). Mary Ann Shadd’s determination and perseverance got her further in her journey to eliminate segregation among Canadians, this action itself created