1st Miss Black Canada crowned 25 years ago this week

Twenty-five years ago this past Wednesday, Tamara Tynes Powell, from Truro, was crowned the first Miss Black Canada in a beauty pageant held in Toronto.

“At age 18 no one expected this Scotian girl would take home the crown but I got the judges with my public speaking,” Tynes wrote in a social media post on Wednesday.

“Contestants would ask me where I was from as they were from the islands or African countries. Had to give them a history lesson about African Nova Scotians (We Been Here 400 +). Scotian for the win! 👑✊🏽”

Tynes said she was one of 32 contestants, 24 of whom were from Ontario.

She went on to graduate from Saint Mary’s University in Halifax, before working 14 years with the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission and one year at Futureworx in Truro.

“[I] start my new role as Human Rights & Education Response Advocate for ST. FX in September,” she said.

“Wife … mother of two [and] proud Autism mom.”