SENATORS’ STATEMENTS — Black History Month

Honourable senators, February marks Black History Month in Canada, but nowhere in Canada does Black history run as deep as it does in my home province of Nova Scotia. It should be noted that until the opening up of immigration in the 1960s, well over half of the Black community in Canada was found in Nova Scotia.

The Black community arrived early and in three primary waves. Over 3,000 Black Loyalists arrived between 1783 and 1785, then 600 Jamaican Maroons arrived in 1796 and, finally, about 2,000 refugees arrived during and after the War of 1812. Although some enslaved people did come north with the Loyalist migration in the 1780s, they were in the minority, as most of the Black people who migrated to Nova Scotia arrived as free people.

One of the children of those free men and women who arrived during the War of 1812 was a man named William Hall. More Canadians should know his name.

Born in 1827, William Hall would join the Merchant Navy and later the Royal Navy at a young age. By the time the Crimean War started, William Hall was an experienced sailor. He would serve first at the famous Siege of Sevastopol and the Battle of Inkerman.

After his service in Crimea, William Hall was assigned to the HMS Shannon. In 1857, during the Sepoy Rebellion, he sailed to Calcutta to assist a British garrison surrounded at the Siege of Lucknow.

After relentlessly hauling their 24-pounder naval guns toward the enemy position, Hall’s brigade engaged the fortifications. After each round, they ran their guns forward under heavy fire, closer to the enemy. Eventually, only Hall and one other gunner remained alive and standing. Despite constant fire, William Hall continued to load and fire his 24-pounder naval gun until the enemy position was captured.

In 1859, in recognition of his bravery at Lucknow, William Hall was awarded the Victoria Cross — a recognition that broke barriers and marked a historic milestone. He was the first Black Nova Scotian and, indeed, the first Black man in all of the British Empire to win the Victoria Cross, the highest award that could be given for bravery under fire.

Hall went on to serve in the Royal Navy for 24 years, achieving the rank of Petty Officer, 1st Class. Although he was offered a position in London after his retirement from the navy, he chose to return to Nova Scotia to live on the farm with his two sisters, where he died in 1904. He was buried privately without fanfare.

In 1945, after a lengthy campaign by the Canadian Legion to properly recognize his service, William Hall’s remains were reinterred in a special plot with a cairn erected as a permanent memorial.

William Hall’s legacy is one of quiet dignity and courage of the highest order. He stands as a pioneer for Black Canadians in uniform and a symbol of service beyond prejudice.

Today, his name continues to sail our seas. One of the Royal Canadian Navy’s newest Harry DeWolf-class Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessels proudly bears his name. HMCS William Hall was commissioned in 2024 and serves as a living tribute, carrying his legacy across Canadian waters and beyond.

As we recognize William Hall, may we recommit ourselves to honouring all who serve and to telling the full story of Canada’s past — one that reflects the courage and contributions of all its people. Thank you.