Happy Black History Month to you all, from the PSAC BC Racially Visible Caucus!
In December 1995, Canadian House of Common has proclaimed February as Black History Month in Canada following a motion introduced by Honourable Jean Augustine.
February is the month to celebrate the many achievements and contributions of Black Canadians and their communities who, throughout history, have done so much to make Canada the culturally diverse, compassionate, and prosperous nation it is today. Please let’s take that opportunity to learn and educate ourselves with one story at a time.
Let’s meet George Dixon!
Born in 1817 in Africville, Nova Scotia, George Dixon – known as George “Little Chocolate” Dixon – was the first Canadian-born boxing champion to win the bantamweight title in 1890. He would also claim the world featherweight title in 1891, after defeating Cal McCarthy in 22 rounds.
Dixon is widely credited for developing shadowboxing, a training exercise commonly used by combat sports athletes in which one throws punches at an imaginative opponent. Today, it is a staple in martial arts, acting as an effective routine to loosen and warm up the body. George Dixon, a pioneer in the advancement of scientific boxing and modern-day training, was also the first fighter to hold two world titles at once.
George Dixon is widely regarded as one of the greatest boxers in the history of the sport. In 2017, Dixon was ranked No. 6 in the Nova Scotia Sport Hall of Fame’s list of the top 15 Nova Scotian athletes of all time.
He died in 1873 and was designated a national historic person in 2021 by Parks Canada Agency.