G5-SEC-L42-02-11-2023 Who is Viola Desmond

Viola Desmond was a Canadian civil rights activist and businesswoman who played a significant role in the fight against racial segregation in Canada. Born in 1914 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Viola Desmond became a prominent figure in Canadian history for her courageous stand against racial discrimination. In 1946, while traveling through New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, Viola Desmond refused to leave the whites-only section of a movie theater and was subsequently arrested and charged with tax evasion for not paying the full price of a ticket. Her arrest sparked outrage and led to a legal challenge against racial segregation in Canadian courts. Though Viola Desmond's legal challenge was ultimately unsuccessful, her case brought national attention to the issue of racial discrimination in Canada and paved the way for future civil rights movements. In 2010, the Government of Nova Scotia posthumously pardoned Viola Desmond, recognizing her contributions to the struggle for equality and justice.