The investment ceremony took place in Ottawa on November 21, 2014 on Eleanor Collins’ 95th Birthday. The official citation reads:
“Eleanor Collins is a supremely talented vocalist who changed the face of race relations in mid-20th Century Vancouver. In 1948 she was ostracized upon moving into one of the city’s predominantly white neighbourhoods. She responded by fostering the values of equality and acceptance within her community —and consequently became a civic leader and pioneer in the development of British Columbia’s music industry. Celebrated for her extensive career as a jazz singer with CBC Radio and Television, she became one of the first Black artists in North America to host a nationally broadcast television series.”
Image courtesy of Judith Maxie
