Calvin Ruck
Encyclopedia
Calvin Woodrow Ruck, CM
(September 4, 1925–October 19, 2004) was an anti-racism activist and a Canadian
senator
. He was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia
; his parents were immigrants to Canada from Barbados
.
on the Canadian National Railway
from 1945-1958. Later Ruck owned and operated a corner store in Halifax
. From 1968 to 1981, he worked as a Community Development worker with the Government of Nova Scotia.
area, including barber shops
, which refused to serve black people
. He worked with the Nova Scotia
Human Rights Commission from 1981 to 1986. He campaigned tirelessly for the Canadian Government to recognize the heroics of Jeremiah Jones
during the Battle of Vimy Ridge.
. The School of Social Work now awards a Calvin W. Ruck scholarship yearly.
1992: Awarded the Governor General's
Commemorative Medal in 1992 for his work in the community.
1994: Named to the Order of Canada
.
Jean Chrétien
, where he served until reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75 in 2000.
He died at his home in Ottawa
on Oct 19, 2004 at the age of 79.
, the only all-black battalion to serve in World War I
:
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
(September 4, 1925–October 19, 2004) was an anti-racism activist and a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
senator
Canadian Senate
The Senate of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the House of Commons, and the monarch . The Senate consists of 105 members appointed by the governor general on the advice of the prime minister...
. He was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney, Nova Scotia
Sydney is a Canadian urban community in the province of Nova Scotia. It is situated on the east coast of Cape Breton Island and is administratively part of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality....
; his parents were immigrants to Canada from Barbados
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is in length and as much as in width, amounting to . It is situated in the western area of the North Atlantic and 100 kilometres east of the Windward Islands and the Caribbean Sea; therein, it is about east of the islands of Saint...
.
Professional life
Ruck left school after Grade 10 and worked as a labourer in Sydney and then as a porterSleeping car
The sleeping car or sleeper is a railway/railroad passenger car that can accommodate all its passengers in beds of one kind or another, primarily for the purpose of making nighttime travel more restful. The first such cars saw sporadic use on American railroads in the 1830s and could be configured...
on the Canadian National Railway
Canadian National Railway
The Canadian National Railway Company is a Canadian Class I railway headquartered in Montreal, Quebec. CN's slogan is "North America's Railroad"....
from 1945-1958. Later Ruck owned and operated a corner store in Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
. From 1968 to 1981, he worked as a Community Development worker with the Government of Nova Scotia.
Associations and Activism
He held a number of positions within the Nova Scotia Association for the Advancement of Coloured People and was a member for most of his adult life. In the 1950s and 1960s, he organized campaigns against businesses in the DartmouthDartmouth, Nova Scotia
Dartmouth founded in 1750, is a community and planning area of the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. Located on the eastern shore of Halifax Harbour, Dartmouth has been nicknamed the City of Lakes after the large number of lakes located in the city.On April 1, 1996, the provincial...
area, including barber shops
Barber
A barber is someone whose occupation is to cut any type of hair, and to shave or trim the beards of men. The place of work of a barber is generally called a barbershop....
, which refused to serve black people
Black people
The term black people is used in systems of racial classification for humans of a dark skinned phenotype, relative to other racial groups.Different societies apply different criteria regarding who is classified as "black", and often social variables such as class, socio-economic status also plays a...
. He worked with the Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
Human Rights Commission from 1981 to 1986. He campaigned tirelessly for the Canadian Government to recognize the heroics of Jeremiah Jones
Jeremiah Jones
Jeremiah "Jerry" Alvin Jones was a Black Canadian soldier who served in World War I. He was apparently recommended for a Distinguished Conduct Medal but there is no record of him having received it. His treatment has been seen as an example of the lack of recognition accorded to Black Canadian...
during the Battle of Vimy Ridge.
Awards
1979: Received diploma from the Maritime School of Social Work at Dalhousie UniversityDalhousie University
Dalhousie University is a public research university located in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. The university comprises eleven faculties including Schulich School of Law and Dalhousie University Faculty of Medicine. It also includes the faculties of architecture, planning and engineering located at...
. The School of Social Work now awards a Calvin W. Ruck scholarship yearly.
1992: Awarded the Governor General's
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
Commemorative Medal in 1992 for his work in the community.
1994: Named to the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
.
Political life
In 1998, he was appointed to the Senate of Canada by Prime MinisterPrime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Jean Chrétien
Jean Chrétien
Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien , known commonly as Jean Chrétien is a former Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada. He served in the position for over ten years, from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003....
, where he served until reaching the mandatory retirement age of 75 in 2000.
He died at his home in Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
on Oct 19, 2004 at the age of 79.
Books Published
Ruck published two books about Canada's No. 2 Construction BattalionNo. 2 Construction Battalion
The No. 2 Construction Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force , was the only all-black battalion in Canadian military history and also the only one to serve in World War I. Commanded by Lieutenant Colonel D.H. Sutherland, formerly of the 193rd Battalion, CEF, all but one of the unit's 19 officers...
, the only all-black battalion to serve in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
:
- Canada's Black Battalion: No. 2 Construction, 1916-1920 (ISBN 0-921201-00-1)
- The black battalion : 1916-1920 : Canada's best kept military secret (ISBN 0-920852-92-0)