Stanley G. Grizzle facts for kids

Stanley George Sinclair Grizzle (November 18, 1918 – November 12, 2016) was a very important Canadian. He was a citizenship judge, a soldier, and a strong voice for civil rights. He also worked hard for workers' rights.

Stanley was born in Toronto, Canada, in 1918. His parents had moved from Jamaica. He was the oldest of seven children. Stanley Grizzle lived to be 97 years old. He passed away in November 2016, just before his 98th birthday.

Working for Workers' Rights

Stanley Grizzle worked as a porter, helping people on trains. During this time, he joined a group called the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP). This was a special kind of group called a trade union. It helped workers get fair treatment and better pay. The leader of this union was a famous American named A. Philip Randolph.

After fighting in World War II in Europe, Stanley came back to Canada. He became even more involved with the union. He was chosen as the president of his local union branch. He worked hard to make sure that Black people could get management jobs at the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR).

Stanley also became a leader in Canada's early civil rights movement. This was in the 1950s. He worked with a group called the Joint Labour Committee to Combat Racial Intolerance. They fought against unfair treatment based on race.

Stanley's Political Journey

In 1959, Stanley Grizzle and Jack White made history. They were the first Black Canadian people to run for election in Ontario. They ran for a political party called the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation. This party later became the New Democratic Party.

In 1960, Stanley started working for the Ontario Labour Relations Board. This board helps solve problems between workers and their employers. Later, in 1977, Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau chose him to be a Citizenship Judge. As a judge, he helped new immigrants become Canadian citizens.

Awards and Recognition

Stanley Grizzle received many important awards for his work. In 1990, he was given the Order of Ontario. This award recognized his efforts with the BSCP and his civil rights work. It was presented by Lieutenant-Governor Lincoln Alexander.

In 1995, he received an even higher honor: the Order of Canada. This award was given to him by Governor General Roméo LeBlanc. It showed how much his work meant to the whole country.

Stanley also received the Stanley Ferguson Lifetime Accomplishment award. A park in Toronto was named after him on November 1, 2007. It's called "Stanley G. Grizzle Park." The mayor of Toronto, David Miller, hosted the naming ceremony.

A writer named Suzette Mayr used Stanley Grizzle's book for her research. His book was called My Name's Not George: The Story of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters in Canada. Her novel, The Sleeping Car Porter, even won a big award called the Giller Prize.

Stanley's Family Life

Stanley Grizzle married Kathleen Victoria Toliver in 1942. Kathleen was also an activist. Her family is known for being part of the Underground Railroad. This was a secret network that helped enslaved people find freedom.

Stanley and Kathleen had six children: Patricia Nerene, Pamela, Stanley Jr, Latanya, Sonya, and a foster son named Rickey. They also had 14 grandchildren.