The Ten Dollar Bill

By The Bolt Team

Viola Desmond was a successful black businesswoman who was jailed, convicted and fined for defiantly refusing to leave a whites-only area of a movie theatre in 1946. Her court case was an inspiration for the pursuit of racial equality across Canada. Viola’s story is part of the permanent collection at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights. The Historic End of Halifax: This historic community in Halifax was where Viola Desmond lived and worked, and served as a source of invaluable support during her struggle for justice. This artistic rendering of a historic map shows the waterfront, Citadel and Gottingen Street, the thoroughfare where Vi’s Studio of Beauty Culture was located. A Window into Human Rights: The Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg, Manitoba is the first museum in the world solely dedicated to the evolution, celebration and future of human rights. The museum aims to inspire and promote respect for others while encouraging reflection and dialogue about human rights. Truth, Power, Freedom: For many First Nations peoples in Canada, the eagle is believed to fly higher and see further than any other bird, and an eagle feather symbolizes ideals such as truth, power and freedom. It is intended to represent the ongoing journey toward recognizing rights and freedoms for Indigenous Peoples in Canada. The newly designed Ten Dollar Bill represents a more inclusive and diverse Canada. The main focus of the bill is Viola Desmond. Viola was a fierce businesswoman who bravely stood up for equal rights. The bill as well represents several other groups in Canada. Borrowed from https://www.bankofcanada.ca/banknotes/vertical10/