In this Yahoo News–published Canadian Press piece by Lyndsay Armstrong, African Nova Scotian voices — including journalist Sherri Borden Colley, Rev. Lennett Anderson, Black Cultural Centre CEO Russell Grosse, and Rev. Mark Jefferson — reflect on Rev. Jesse Jackson’s 2009 visit and its local significance.
Jackson died Tuesday in Chicago at age 84.
Read the full article on Yahoo News: [CLICK HERE]
People quoted or referenced — and why they matter here
(Read the full article on Yahoo News: [CLICK HERE])
Sherri Borden Colley
Longtime Halifax journalist. She interviewed Rev. Jesse Jackson at the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia during his 2009 visit and reflects on that moment as one of the most significant of her career, anchoring the piece in lived, local experience.
Rev. Lennett Anderson
Senior pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church in Halifax. He speaks to the spiritual and emotional impact of Jackson’s death on Black clergy and congregations across Nova Scotia.
Russell Grosse
CEO of the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia. He was the Centre’s manager of operations at the time of Jackson’s visit and provides institutional context for its significance.
Rev. Mark Jefferson
Associate professor at Acadia Divinity College who recently relocated from the United States. He draws direct parallels between African American and African Nova Scotian histories, including Africville, and reflects on Jackson’s broader legacy.
Dr. Leslie “Les” Oliver (pictured, not quoted)
Former president of the Black Cultural Society of Nova Scotia — the governing body of the Black Cultural Centre — and son of civil-rights leaders William and Pearleen Oliver. While not quoted in the article, his presence during Jackson’s 2009 visit reflects the continuity of Black leadership in Nova Scotia and the Oliver family’s long-standing role in civil-rights, education, and cultural preservation.
