In 1946 Viola Desmond was on a business trip when her car broke down 100 miles from Halifax, Canada. While her car was being repaired she decided to go to the local cinema. The cinema was segregated; white people were seated downstairs and black people were seated in the balcony. Viola tried to buy a downstairs ticket because she was short sighted, but she was refused. She bought a ticket for the balcony but sat downstairs. Viola was dragged out of the cinema, arrested and spent 12 hours in jail. She was later fined $26.
Viola died in 1965 but her story helped start the civil rights movement in Canada.
In 2010 the government apologised to Viola and pardoned her.
On 8th March 2018, 72 years after Viola stood up to discrimination, the government announced her face would feature on the new $10 bill. Viola is the first Canadian woman and first black person to have their face used on a bank note. Viola's sister, Wanda Robson, unveiled the banknote. Wanda said, "It's beyond what I ever thought. It's beautiful. I say thank you thank you thank you. Our family will go down in history - in history, imagine that!"
What do you see in the picture?
What do you think is happening?
Where is it?
Are there any clues on the screen as to what the story is about?
Explain the story
- What does segregation mean?
- Why were some places segregated? (Because in the past many people didn't understand about difference and diversity and thought black and white people could not work together. This meant some countries had laws separating people because of their skin)
- What law do we have in the UK today to make sure segregation does not happen today? (The Equality Act 2010)
- In 1946 Viola broke the law when she sat downstairs in the cinema. Why did she choose to do that?
- How do you think she felt when she chose to sit downstairs?
- When Viola was arrested and fined, how do you think she felt?
- What was the Civil Rights movement?
- The government has chosen to put Viola's face on a $10 bill. What does this show us about how they feel about her actions in 1946?
- What does this show us about ideas and how ideas can change?
- How would Viola feel if she knew she was on a $10 bill in 2018?
- Why does Wanda say, "Our family will go down in history- imagine that!"?
- What can we learn from Viola?
- What can we learn from the Canadian government?
- Why is this story about No Outsiders?
"No Outsiders in our school: Teaching the Equality Act in primary schools" by Andrew Moffat
"Reclaiming radical ideas in schools: Preparing young children for life in modern Britain" by Andrew Moffat
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