The 2026 theme for Black History Month in Canada, “30 Years of Black History Month: Honouring Black Brilliance Across Generations — From Nation Builders to Tomorrow’s Visionaries,” honours the Black Canadians who have shaped our past and present, and the inspiration they provide to future generations.

As we celebrate Black History Month, we will be highlighting the outstanding work of Black Canadians who have contributed to health care.

Dr. Anderson Ruffin Abbott

Did you know that Dr. Anderson Ruffin Abbott made history by becoming Canada’s first formally credentialed Black doctor? He attended the Toronto School of Medicine and received his license to practice from the Medical Board of Upper Canada, paving the way for future generations of Black medical professionals.

Dr. Abbott then moved to the United States to practice medicine but later returned to Canada, where he spent his last years writing about Black history and medicine.

Dr. Abbott also advocated for racially integrated schools and believed that Black access to higher education was essential. His legacy continues to inspire and uplift communities to this day.

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Lillie Johnson

Lillie Johnson emigrated from Jamaica to Canada in 1960 after training as a nurse and midwife in Jamaica and the U.K.  She received a Bachelor of Science in nursing from the University of Toronto and became the first Black director of public health in Eastern Ontario.

In 1981, Johnson founded the Sickle Cell Association of Ontario and lobbied the government to add the disease to its list of newborn screening. It is now standard practice to screen for sickle cell disease for newborns in Ontario.

She received recognition for her advocacy and work, which includes the Toronto Public Health Champion Award, the Black Health Alliance Legacy Award and Toronto Metropolitan University’s Viola Desmond Award, and was the recipient of the Order of Ontario.

For more information, click here.