The Honourable Rosemary Brown was the first Black woman to be elected to a provincial legislature in Canada. Representing the constituency of Vancouver-Burrard, she was elected as a Member of the Legislative Assembly of B.C. on August 30th in the 1972 provincial election. She was also the first Black woman to run for the leadership of a national political party in Canada. During her 14 years as an MLA, Brown introduced legislation to remove sexism and racism from the B.C. education curriculum, to reduce discrimination based on gender and marital status, and to advance human rights in B.C.
Brown was also a founding member of the Vancouver Status of Women Council (VSWC) and the British Columbia Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (BCAACP), which increased housing and employment for Black British Columbians throughout the province. Serving as VSWC's first ombudswoman, Brown also championed the rights of women throughout the province. In 1995, she was awarded the Order of British Columbia and the Ontario Black Achievement Award, as well as the Order of Canada the following year.
Rosemary Brown died on April 26, 2003. On February 2, 2009, in celebration of her accomplishments, the Canada Post Corporation issued a commemorative stamp featuring her standing in front of B.C.'s Parliament Buildings.
