Gleaner

Serving Toronto's most liveable community with the Annex Gleaner

CHATTER: Albert Jackson stamp issued (Spring 2019)

April 23rd, 2019 · 1 Comment

Canada Post issued a stamp honouring Albert Jackson just in time for Black History month this year. Born a slave in Delaware in the 1850s, Jackson came to Canada as a toddler on the Underground Railway. He grew up in Toronto and won a position as a letter carrier in 1882. The other Canada Post employees refused to train him because of the colour of his skin, and the media fuelled a heated public debate about “the coloured postman”.

The local black community came to Jackson’s defence publicly, and Sir John A. Macdonald, who was courting their vote, chimed in as well. He promised that the youth would go to work as a carrier “come what may,” according to one newspaper article.

Jackson persevered, and went on to work for 36 years with the postal service.

“Albert Jackson’s determination opened the doors for many Black Canadians to enter the postal service,” says Ann Therese MacEachern, chief human resources officer at Canada Post. “His courage laid the foundation for the diverse workforce we have at Canada Post today.”

—Brian Burchell, Gleaner News

READ MORE:

Tags: Annex · News

1 response so far ↓