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Leonard Braithwaite, ca. 1958

Leonard Braithwaite was born in York County and grew up during the Great Depression. After several attempts to enlist and being turned away due to discriminatory practices, Braithwaite joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1943. He served with the No. 6 Bomber Command in Yorkshire, England, as an engine mechanic and then became a safety equipment worker. Following the war, he earned a bachelor’s degree in commerce from the University of Toronto (1950), a master’s in business administration from Harvard (1952), and a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School (1958). Soon after graduating he opened his own law practice and became part of Municipal Council. In 1963, he ran as a Liberal Municipal Member of Parliament and won, making him the first black Parliamentarian in Canada. He passed away in 2012.

 

Photograph from Obiter Dicta, 1958

 

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Uploaded on October 1, 2024