Remembering the secret Black military unit that had to fight to serve Canada

Saturday at 7 p.m. on CTV’s W5: Sandie Rinaldo tells the story of the largest Black military unit in Canadian history, whose members had to fight to serve Canada in the First World War as they faced rampant racism at home.

Saturday at 7 p.m. on CTV’s W5: Sandie Rinaldo tells the story of the largest Black military unit in Canadian history, whose members had to fight to serve Canada in the First World War as they faced rampant racism at home.

In an interview with CTV’s W5, Blair recalled when his father marched down the street in Saint John, N.B. on Remembrance Day in 1941. “He marched with pride .. proud to be a Canadian,” and having served his country. In an interview with CTV’s W5, Blair Dixon recalled when his father, George Dixon, marched down the street in Saint John, N.B. on Remembrance Day in 1941. “He marched with pride .. proud to be a Canadian,” and having served his country.

But life wasn’t always kind to the Dixon family. Blair’s grandparents were the descendants of slaves who fled Louisiana for Nova Scotia in the late nineteenth century, to escape racism and hatred, only to experience prejudice in Canada. George was raised in what was then called Africville, outside Halifax. The segregated community has since been demolished.