It should be noted that segregation in Nova Scotia was illegal and not reinforced by 

legal statutes as it was in the United States. The segregation that did take place was 

“understood” to be the way and varied substantially from one community to another.

Viola went back to her work at her salon and the class of students that she currently 

was training. In contrast to Rosa Parks, Viola did not become an activist for the cause.  

She went on with her life. Viola died at age 50 in 1965 in her New York apartment from 

intestinal bleeding.

A full account of the court proceedings and some of Viola’s family background can be 

found in 

Backhouse, Constance, Color Coded a Legal History of Racism in Canada, 1900 to 

1950. Toronto:  University of Toronto Press, 1999.

The information is also available at this site: constancebackhouse.ca/fileadmin/

publicationlist/Racial_Segregation_in_Canadian_Legal_History_-_part_1.pdf      

Further information about Viola Desmond and Black History in Nova Scotia can be found 

in The Times of African Nova Scotians, Nova Scotia School Book Bureau, stock code 

25668.

Black Canadian Curriculum – ETFO – 2014