Verna Patronella Johnston facts for kids

Verna Patronella Johnston (1909-1996) was an Ojibway and Potawatomi woman from the Anishinaabe people. She was an author, a mother, and a grandmother. Verna was a mentor and a community activist. She is best known for helping young Indigenous people who came to Toronto for school or college from the 1960s to the 1980s. She became a very important leader in the Indigenous community in Toronto.

Verna Johnston's Early Life

Verna Patronella Johnston was born in 1909. Her birthplace was the Cape Croker reserve. This place is also known as Neyaashiinigmiing. Her father, Peter Nadjiwon, was Ojibway and Potawatomi. Her mother, Charlotte Penn, had English, Irish, and Scottish roots. Verna was the third oldest of 14 children. She spent a lot of her childhood with her great-grandmother, Mary LaVallée.

Moving to Toronto and Finding Work

After she got married, Verna lived in Toronto for a while. She found work in a bakery and in city factories. Later, she spent many years at Cape Croker. There, she worked as a foster parent. This helped her support herself after she and her husband separated. She also joined local Homemaker's Clubs and the Women's Institute.

Helping Indigenous Youth in the City

In 1965, Verna's two granddaughters wanted to study business in Toronto. Verna knew that young Indigenous people often faced problems in the city. They sometimes struggled to find safe places to live. They also faced unfair treatment in boarding houses. So, Verna rented an apartment on Broadview Avenue. She lived there with her granddaughters.

Opening a Boarding House

Soon, Verna hosted many more young Indigenous people. In 1966, she moved to North York. She rented a large house on Blythwood Road. She ran a boarding house there, first for young women, then for young men too. In 1972, she moved the house to McGill Street. She closed her operations in 1973.

A Safe Place for Students

Verna's work provided safe and culturally welcoming homes. This was part of a bigger movement. It aimed to build community for Indigenous people in the city. It also worked against unfair housing practices. Besides students, Verna also welcomed youth who needed a safe place. Many young people who stayed with Verna went on to become educators, social workers, and community leaders.

Sharing Stories and Community Work

During this time, Verna also published a book. It was called Tales of Nokomis. This book was a collection of stories. These stories had been passed down to her through oral tradition. In 1977, she worked with Rosamond Vanderburgh. They published a book about Verna's life. It was titled I am Nokomis too.

Founding Indigenous Organizations

Verna was a founding member and volunteer for many Indigenous groups in Toronto. These included the Native Canadian Centre of Toronto, The Council Fire, and Anduhyaun House. She also helped start Anishnawbe Health Toronto and the Wigwamen housing agency. She led a program that taught crafts on reserves. Later, she taught courses at Sheridan College, York University, and Seneca College.

Speaking Out for Fairness

After being diagnosed with a serious illness, Verna moved back to Cape Croker several times. But she always returned to Toronto. She worked as a housekeeper at Anduhyaun House. This was a hostel for Indigenous women. There, she taught crafts, cooking, and household skills. She also held workshops for the public. Verna continued to be a strong community activist. She spoke out against unfair treatment by the Children's Aid Society. She highlighted how Indigenous foster parents were paid less than others.

Verna Johnston's Family Life

Verna learned about traditional medicines and storytelling. She learned these from her great-grandmother, Mary Lavalée. She also learned from her grandmother, whose family name was Jones. Verna married Henry Johnston on September 15, 1926. She was sixteen years old. They were married in Wiarton, Ontario. Verna had five children.

Awards and Recognition

• 1976. Indian Woman of the Year. Native Women's Association.

Other Sources

• I am Nokomis, too: the biography of Verna Patronella Johnston by Rosamond M. Vanderburgh. Don Mills: General Publishing Company, 1977.