As part of the Municipality of the District of St. Mary's initiative to learn, appreciate, and reflect on the stories of African heritage that surround us is sharing stories about breaking barriers, challenging injustice, and changing the course of society in fields such as politics, science, arts, and social movements. This week's African heritage story is about Donald H. Oliver CM ONS KC.

Donald H. Oliver CM ONS KC
Born November 16, 1938 Donald Oliver is a Canadian lawyer, developer and politician. Appointed by former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, Oliver served in the Senate of Canada from 1990 until 2013. He was the first black male to sit in the Senate and the second black Canadian appointed to the chamber.
A lawyer and real estate developer, Oliver is a member of Nova Scotia's black minority. He is descended in part from African-American slave refugees who were resettled by the British in Canada from the United States after the War of 1812. But his maternal grandfather, William A. White, migrated independently in 1900 from Baltimore, Maryland.
In February 2008, Senator Oliver introduced the Motion to Recognize Contributions of Black Canadians and February as Black History Month. It received unanimous approval and was adopted on March 4, 2008.