The Viola Desmond Connection

Walking directions:  Leaving 312 Commercial Street, walk southwest along Commercial Street for 52 m.  299 Commercial Street is on your left.  Proceed to the rear and here is the entry to the Cellar Bar.

Viola Irene Desmond (July 6, 1914 – February 7, 1965) was a Canadian civil and women's rights activist and businesswoman of Black Nova Scotian descent. In 1946, she challenged racial segregation at a cinema in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia by refusing to leave a whites-only area of the Roseland Theatre. For this, she was convicted of a minor tax violation for the one-cent tax difference between the seat that she had paid for and the seat that she used, which was more expensive. Desmond's case is one of the most publicized incidents of racial discrimination in Canadian history and helped start the modern civil rights movement in Canada.

In 2010, Desmond was granted a posthumous pardon, the first to be granted in Canada. The Crown-in-Right-of-Nova Scotia also apologized for prosecuting her for tax evasion and acknowledged she was rightfully resisting racial discrimination.

In late 2018, Desmond became the first Canadian woman to appear alone on a Canadian bank note—a $10 bill which was unveiled by Finance Minister Bill Morneau and Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz during a ceremony at the Halifax Central Library on March 8, 2018. Desmond was also named a National Historic Person in 2018.  

That same $10 bill has also won the top prize in an international banknote competition. Viola's $10 note beat 15 other banknotes to win the International Bank Note Society award.  

So, what does any of this have to do with our small seaside town of North Sydney?

Well, in 2017, three representatives of the Bank of Canada traveled to North Sydney from Ottawa to meet with Wanda Robson, sister of Viola Desmond.  For decades, Wanda was an activist who championed the legacy of her sister and was instrumental in bringing recognition to her sister's contribution to Canadian Civil Rights.  Wanda lived in North Sydney until her passing in 2022.  On a quiet Monday afternoon, the Bank of Canada representatives met privately with Wanda on a day that the Cellar Bar was closed.   The purpose of the meeting was to have Wanda review mock ups of the new $10 bill, featuring her sister.  She was presented with three options.  And, so it was right there in the Cellar that Wanda selected the famous bill that would pay homage to her sister, Viola.

Thank you for your tenacity and courage, Viola Desmond, and thank you Wanda Robson for your dedication to having your sister honored!

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Viola_Desmond