Bill White

Biography

William Andrew White, III, (February 7, 1915 – January 23, 1981) was a Canadian composer and social justice activist, who was the first Black Canadian to run for federal office in Canada.

Family and education

He was born on 7 February 1915 in Truro, Nova Scotia, the son of Baptist minister William A. White and his wife Izie Dora White. Among his twelve siblings included internationally renowned Canadian concert singer Portia White, labour union leader and politician Jack White, and television performer Lorne White. He was also the uncle of Donald H. Oliver, the first black male to sit in the Senate of Canada, through one of his sisters.
His family moved to Halifax where his father was minister of Cornwallis Street Baptist Church for nearly 20 years. After attending local schools, he got an education and music degree. He taught music. He was also a composer and choral group leader.

Marriage and family

Bill White married Vivian Keeler, a white woman with roots in Nova Scotia, in 1947 in Toronto, after meeting in Halifax in 1944. They had five children together, including social activist and author Sheila White, software designer W. Romney White, folk musician Chris White, Toronto physician Laurie White, and professional musician Tim White.

1949 federal election

White stood as the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation candidate in the Toronto electoral district of Spadina in the 1949 election, becoming the first Black Canadian to run for federal office. He lost to the incumbent Liberal MP.

Order of Canada

Bill White was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada on December 18, 1970. He was invested into the Order on March 31, 1971. The appointment was for "services to the community and his contribution to better relations and understanding between people of different racial background." Another honour he earned was the Scarborough Citizen of the Year in 1976.

Death

Bill White died in New Zealand on January 23, 1981, local time (January 23 in Toronto's Eastern Time Zone).