Black History Month
Every February, Canadians across the country are invited to honour the legacy of Black Canadians and their communities.
Here, at the Legal Archives Society of Alberta, we are acknowledging the transformative work of Black lawyers and judges, past and present, whose achievements and contributions to their communities make Alberta the culturally diverse, compassionate, and prosperous province it is today.
Violet King Henry
Evergreen and Gold Yearbook, University of Alberta, 1952. Accession#2021-017
Violet King was born on October 18, 1929, in Calgary, Alberta, following her parents’ decision to move from the United States to settle in Canada.
King was the first Black Canadian to receive a law degree in Alberta after obtaining her LLB in 1953 from the University of Alberta. King was the only female in her graduating class that year. Called to the Alberta Bar on June 2, 1954, she became the first Black person admitted to the Alberta Bar and the first Black woman to become a lawyer in Canada.
During her undergraduate studies, King received the Executive “A” gold ring during the annual Colour Night to celebrate students’ contributions to the University of Alberta. She received this honour along with future Alberta Premier, Peter Lougheed, advisor to Pierre Trudeau, Ivan Head, and well-known Edmonton lawyer, Garth Fryett.
King articled in the Calgary firm of criminal lawyer, Edward J. McCormick, Q.C., where she recalled working on five murder trials during her articling year. She continued practicing law in Calgary until 1956. Thereafter, King moved to the Law Society of Alberta’s non-practicing list after relocating to Ottawa to work in the federal department of Citizenship and Immigration.
In 1963, she became the Executive Director of the Newark YMCA’s Community Branch in New Jersey. While there, King helped people in the Black community find employment opportunities. She moved to Chicago in 1969 and continued her work with the YMCA.
Receiving Her Executive “A” Gold Ring During the Annual Colour Night Recognizing Students’ Contributions to the University of Alberta. Evergreen and Gold Yearbook, University of Alberta, 1952. Accession#2021-017
King married Godfrey C. Henry in 1965 and gave birth to their only child, Jo-Anne Henry, in 1966.
She passed away in New York on March 30, 1982, at the age of 52 following a battle with cancer.
In February 2021, the Federal Building Plaza, with views of the Alberta Legislature, was renamed the Violet King Henry Plaza and serves as a reminder to future generations of her legacy in Alberta breaking barriers for Black people and women across the province.
