LINCOLN ALEXANDER was a genuine Canadian trailblazer. Courtesy photos.
From poverty to royalty, Lincoln MacCauley Alexander has experienced many firsts in his distinguished life.
His many deeds as we mark Black History Month in February continue to inspire generations of African, Caribbean and Black people across Canada and the world.
It is no surprise that his birthday on January 21 is recognized across Canada as Lincoln Alexander Day.
Alexander was born in Toronto on January 21, 1922. His father was a carpenter by trade but worked as a railway porter for the Canadian Pacific Railway. Back then working as a railway porter was one of the few good jobs for which Blacks were hired. His mother toiled as a maid.
“Linc” as he was commonly called, worked as a machinist in a Hamilton-based factory after the Second World War making anti-aircraft guns for the war effort despite being too young to enlist.
He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1942 and served as a corporal until 1945 working as a wireless operator in World War II.
Throughout his life and career, Alexander tackled racism and inequity often risking career and professional advancement in the process.
Once, while stationed in Vancouver, he was refused service at a bar because of his race. He reported the incident to his superior officer who refused to take action.
Alexander subsequently quit the Air Force, leaving with an honourable discharge.
The veteran earned a Bachelor of Arts from McMaster University in 1949 and graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1953.
He became the first Black person to be elected to Canada’s House of Commons where he represented Hamilton West for 12 year. He was so popular that he was re-elected four times.
Alexander in 1979 was appointed Minister of Labour by Prime Minister Joe Clark and became the first Black Canadian to serve as a federal Cabinet Minister.
He was sworn in as the 24th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario and served from 1985 to 1991. Alexander played an integral role in the fight for equity, diversity and inclusion in Canadian Society.
He was a passionate advocate for the advancement of education and served as Chancellor of the University of Guelph and Chair of the Canadian Race Relations Foundation. He was also a Chair of the Workers’ Compensation Board.
Alexander died on October 19, 2012. Lincoln Alexander Day was launched in 2015.
In 2006, he was named the “Greatest Hamilitonian of All Time,” and there are schools in Hamilton, Ajax and Mississauga that bear his name as well as the expressway in Hamilton.