First Black Letter Carrier
Albert Jackson is thought to be the first Black letter carrier in Canada. Born into enslavement in the United States, he escaped to Canada with his mother and siblings in 1858 when he was just a toddler. In 1882, Jackson was hired as a letter carrier in Toronto, but his co-workers refused to train him on the job. While his story was debated in the press, the Black community in Toronto organized in support of Jackson, meeting with Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald to have Jackson reinstated. Jackson returned to his posted days later and served as a letter carrier for almost 36 years.