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Family and Childhood
Viola Desmond was born in Halifax in 1914. Her father James Albert Davis worked as a barber and was married to her mother Gwendolin Irene Davis. She had 10 siblings. https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/halifax-explosion-viola-desmond-wanda-robson-disaster-killed-1.4393272 -
Vi's Studio of Beauty Culture
Viola opens her own beauty salon, Vi's Studio of Beauty Culture. https://www.bankofcanadamuseum.ca/explore/exhibitions/past-exhibitions/a-noteworthy-woman/ -
Education and Career
Viola attends Field Beauty Culture School in Montreal, with the hopes of opening her own beauty salon. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Viola-Desmond -
Arrest in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia - Roseland Theatre
While waiting for her car to be repaired while on a trip, Viola decided to see a show at the Roseland Theatre in Nova Scotia. At the time, this was a segregated theatre, with a section for Black people on the balcony. Viola refused to move from her spot on the main floor of the theatre when asked by the manager. https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2021/11/08/years-before-viola-desmond-made-canadian-history-another-black-woman-took-her-own-stand-at-that-very-same-nova-scotia-theatre.html -
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Canada's 10$ Bill
On December 8th, 2016 the Bank of Canada announced Viola Desmond would be on Canada's 10$ banknote. https://www.bankofcanada.ca/banknotes/vertical10/
