LINCOLN ALEXANDER THE MAN WHO BROKE THREE POLITICAL BARRIERS
DTOA Descendants of the Taken Ones
Lincoln Alexander did more than enter Canadian politics. He opened doors that had never before been opened to Black Canadians.
He became Canada’s:
• First Black Member of Parliament
• First Black federal cabinet minister
• First Black lieutenant governor
Born in Toronto on January 21, 1922, Lincoln MacCauley Alexander was the son of Caribbean immigrants. His mother encouraged him to pursue education and never allow racial prejudice to determine the limits of his life.
During World War II, Alexander served as a corporal in the Royal Canadian Air Force. Black Canadians still faced open discrimination, even while wearing their country’s uniform. In 1945, Alexander was reportedly refused service at a Vancouver establishment because he was Black. The experience strengthened his resolve to challenge unequal treatment.
After the war, he attended McMaster University, earning a degree in history and political economy in 1949. He graduated from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1953 and built a successful legal career in Hamilton, Ontario. McMaster University. Then he entered politics. In 1968, the voters of Hamilton West elected Alexander to the House of Commons. He became the first Black person elected to Canada’s Parliament.
He understood that his election carried a responsibility greater than personal success. In his first parliamentary speech, he made clear that he would speak for Canadians who faced discrimination because of their race, religion, or color. Alexander represented Hamilton West for twelve years. In 1979, Prime Minister Joe Clark appointed him Minister of Labour, making him Canada’s first Black federal cabinet minister. Senate of Canada
His trailblazing career continued.
In 1985, Alexander became Ontario’s 24th lieutenant governor. He was the first Black Canadian appointed to a viceregal office anywhere in the country. He served until 1991 and used the position to promote education, racial equality, community service, and opportunities for young people.
Alexander later served as chancellor of the University of Guelph for fifteen years. He received numerous honors, including appointment as a Companion of the Order of Canada and membership in the Order of Ontario. Lincoln Alexander died on October 19, 2012, at age 90. Canada honored him with a state funeral. His legacy endures through Lincoln Alexander Day, observed across Canada each January 21. Schools, awards, public buildings, and the Lincoln Alexander School of Law also bear his name.
His story shows what happens when preparation meets courage. He served his country in uniform, practiced law, represented his community in Parliament, served in the federal cabinet, and became the Crown’s representative in Ontario.
Each achievement challenged an institution that had historically excluded people who looked like him.
Lincoln Alexander did not simply occupy powerful positions. He changed who Canadians could imagine holding them.
We are DTOA, Descendants of the Taken Ones. We recover overlooked stories and honor the people who made them. For as the first Black Canadian to be a member of Parliament in the House of Commons, a federal Cabinet Minister, a Chair of the Workers' Compensation Board of Ontario, and the 24th Lieutenant Governor of Ontario from 1985 to 1991
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