Emery Barnes
Encyclopedia
Emery Barnes, OBC
(December 15, 1929 – July 1, 1998) was a Canadian football
player and Canadian
politician.
Born in Louisiana
and raised in Oregon
, Barnes was a gifted athlete, and was an alternate hi-jumper for the 1952 US Olympic Track and Field team. He played football at the University of Oregon
(from where he received his B.Sc
) and was selected by the National Football League
's Green Bay Packers
in the 1954 NFL Draft
(10th round, 207th overall.) He played 2 games for the Packers in 1956, but had much more success in the Canadian Football League
with the B.C. Lions. He played 3 years, from 1962 to 1964, for a total of 30 games and was champion in 1964 (though an injury prevented him from playing in the Grey Cup
game.) He also received a Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of British Columbia
.
Barnes worked as a social worker before entering politics. First elected to the British Columbia legislature
in 1972, and re-elected four consecutive times, he served the people of British Columbia
until 1996. Barnes and fellow NDP
MLA
Rosemary Brown
were the first black
politicians elected to a legislative office in British Columbia. He was particularly concerned with issues relating to social justice, human rights, and poverty.
Elected Speaker
of the Legislature in 1994, he was also the first black person to hold this position in any Canadian province.
The city of Vancouver has named a park after him in his memory: Emery Barnes Park at 1100 Seymour Street.
Barnes was appointed to the Order of British Columbia
in 1995.
Emery Barnes is buried in Robinson Memorial Park Cemetery, in Coquitlam, British Columbia. The headstone shows his full name as "Emery Oakland Barnes."
Order of British Columbia
The Order of British Columbia is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Instituted in 1989 by Lieutenant Governor David Lam, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier Bill Vander Zalm, the order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to honour...
(December 15, 1929 – July 1, 1998) was a Canadian football
Canadian football
Canadian football is a form of gridiron football played exclusively in Canada in which two teams of 12 players each compete for territorial control of a field of play long and wide attempting to advance a pointed prolate spheroid ball into the opposing team's scoring area...
player and 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...
politician.
Born in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
and raised in Oregon
Oregon
Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. It is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east. The Columbia and Snake rivers delineate much of Oregon's northern and eastern...
, Barnes was a gifted athlete, and was an alternate hi-jumper for the 1952 US Olympic Track and Field team. He played football at the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
(from where he received his B.Sc
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
) and was selected by the National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
's Green Bay Packers
Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers are an American football team based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They are members of the North Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League . The Packers are the current NFL champions...
in the 1954 NFL Draft
1954 NFL Draft
The 1954 National Football League Draft was held on January 28, 1954.-Player selections:-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:-Round ten:-Round eleven:...
(10th round, 207th overall.) He played 2 games for the Packers in 1956, but had much more success in the Canadian Football League
Canadian Football League
The Canadian Football League or CFL is a professional sports league located in Canada. The CFL is the highest level of competition in Canadian football, a form of gridiron football closely related to American football....
with the B.C. Lions. He played 3 years, from 1962 to 1964, for a total of 30 games and was champion in 1964 (though an injury prevented him from playing in the Grey Cup
Grey Cup
The Grey Cup is both the name of the championship of the Canadian Football League and the name of the trophy awarded to the victorious team. It is Canada's largest annual sports and television event, regularly drawing a Canadian viewing audience of about 3 to 4 million individuals...
game.) He also received a Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of British Columbia
University of British Columbia
The University of British Columbia is a public research university. UBC’s two main campuses are situated in Vancouver and in Kelowna in the Okanagan Valley...
.
Barnes worked as a social worker before entering politics. First elected to the British Columbia legislature
Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
The Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is one of two components of the Parliament of British Columbia, the provincial parliament ....
in 1972, and re-elected four consecutive times, he served the people of British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
until 1996. Barnes and fellow NDP
New Democratic Party of British Columbia
The New Democratic Party of British Columbia is a social-democratic political party in British Columbia, Canada. The party currently forms the official opposition to the governing British Columbia Liberal Party following the 2009 provincial election in British Columbia.The BC NDP is the provincial...
MLA
Legislative Assembly
Legislative Assembly is the name given in some countries to either a legislature, or to one of its branch.The name is used by a number of member-states of the Commonwealth of Nations, as well as a number of Latin American countries....
Rosemary Brown
Rosemary Brown (politician)
Rosemary Brown, PC, OC, OBC, née Wedderburn , was a Canadian politician.- Early years :Rosemary Brown was born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1930, and moved to Canada in 1950 to study at McGill University in Montreal...
were the first black
Black Canadian
'Black Canadians is a designation used for people of Black African descent, who are citizens or permanent residents of Canada. The term specifically refers to Canadians with Sub-Saharan African ancestry. The majority of Black Canadians are of Caribbean origin...
politicians elected to a legislative office in British Columbia. He was particularly concerned with issues relating to social justice, human rights, and poverty.
Elected Speaker
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia
The Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia is the presiding officer of the British Columbia legislature.-The office of Speaker in British Columbia:...
of the Legislature in 1994, he was also the first black person to hold this position in any Canadian province.
The city of Vancouver has named a park after him in his memory: Emery Barnes Park at 1100 Seymour Street.
Barnes was appointed to the Order of British Columbia
Order of British Columbia
The Order of British Columbia is a civilian honour for merit in the Canadian province of British Columbia. Instituted in 1989 by Lieutenant Governor David Lam, on the advice of the Cabinet under Premier Bill Vander Zalm, the order is administered by the Governor-in-Council and is intended to honour...
in 1995.
Emery Barnes is buried in Robinson Memorial Park Cemetery, in Coquitlam, British Columbia. The headstone shows his full name as "Emery Oakland Barnes."
External links
- Detailed Biography of Emery Barnes from University of Washington
- Gail Ito, Barnes, Emery (1929-1998) at blackpast.orgBlackPast.orgBlackPast.org is a web-based free content reference center that is dedicated primarily to the understanding of African American history and the history of people of African ancestry...