A pioneer in our country’s modern civil rights movement will soon be prominently displayed in downtown Halifax.
A new monument will be built to honour Viola Desmond on Gottingen Street.
In 1946, Desmond challenged racial segregation at a cinema in New Glasgow by refusing to leave a whites-only area. Last month, marked 75 years since Desmond was arrested for challenging racial segregation at the theatre.
The federal government is committing over $110,000 to build the monument and the project will be led by the North End Business Association (NEBA).
“As a hometown hero and civil rights pioneer, it is only appropriate that Viola Desmond be commemorated in North End Halifax where her legacy is felt all around us. Our government is investing in projects like this to draw people back to shared public spaces where they can connect with our history and each other.”
– Andy Fillmore, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry and Member of Parliament for Halifax
The display will be finished by the end of summer but first an artist has to be chosen to to lead the design.
A grand prize of $100,000 will be awarded to the winning proposal.
