What question did this study set out to answer?

The research aims to explore the contributions of two Black women to education and racial equality in Halifax during the late 19th century.

February 5, 2026

Two Girls Named Blanche: Race, Gender, and Education in Halifax, 1880s–1920s

Key Points

The research aims to explore the contributions of two Black women to education and racial equality in Halifax during the late 19th century.
Analysis of historical documents and personal accounts related to the two women's lives.
Examination of secondary education and music education frameworks in Halifax during the 1880s-1920s.
Evaluation of the impact of the women's efforts on subsequent generations.
The women significantly reduced barriers to secondary education for Black women in Halifax.
Their actions led to increased access to music education for future generations of Black individuals.
Personal stories underscore the importance of individual determination in challenging systemic racism.

Abstract

This paper is a continuation of my research on the lives of late 19 th century Black residents of Halifax. It focuses on two women—mother and daughter—who helped to undermine racial segregation in the city, first in secondary education and then in music education. Their personal determination helped to reduce the barriers for other Black women who followed them to high school and to the conservatory of music. I am grateful to Professor Michelle Williams, Dalhousie University Law Faculty, for the illustrations and some hitherto unknown documents.

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Judith Fingard

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Journal of the Royal Nova Scotia Historical Society

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Two Girls Named Blanche: Race, Gender, and Education in Halifax, 1880s–1920s

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Abstract

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