Trailblazing Life of Viola Desmond: A Civil Rights Icon
Written by Rachel Kehoe with Wanda Robson
Illustrated by Chelsea Charles
Published by Orca Book Publishers
ACTIVITIES
To be added by November 1-15.
BOOK SYNOPSIS
Years before Rosa Parks famously refused to give up a bus seat in Montgomery, Alabama, Viola Desmond took a similar stand against racial segregation in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia.
On November 8, 1946, she was arrested for refusing to move from the “whites-only” section of a movie theater. Her heroic act inspired Black community leaders and made her a symbol of courage in the fight against inequality. This story of Viola’s life is based on rare interviews with her sister Wanda Robson, who spent her life championing her sister’s story and was successful in getting Viola a posthumous pardon that recognized she was innocent of any crime. From their childhood in Nova Scotia to Viola’s career as a teacher in a segregated school and, later, her role as a pioneer in Black beauty culture, young readers are introduced to the girl and the woman who went on to become the face of the civil-rights movement in Canada.
RACHEL KEHOE
Rachel Kehoe is a Canadian nonfiction writer and former international teacher. She has worked in countries like Hong Kong, The Netherlands, Thailand, and Australia. Rachel regularly contributes to Muse and Faces magazines, writing on topics ranging from climate change and artificial intelligence to mental health and energy technology. One of her favorite parts of writing is getting to the chance to interview experts in their fields. She once interviewed a volcano expert while he was conducting research near an active volcanic site!
But her most memorable interviews were with Wanda Robson, Viola Desmond’s sister, whose stories vividly brought Viola’s life to light, and whose warmth and humour made every conversation a privilege.
In her free time, Rachel enjoys hiking, traveling, reading, and getting lost in her research. She lives with her husband and three children.
Her latest work, Breaking Barriers: The Story of Viola Desmond, was named one of the top 10 titles on the 2023 Ontario Library Association’s Best Bets list. Her upcoming book, Cracking the Code: The Human Quest to Uncover Secrets, is set to be released in 2025.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Instagram: @rachel.kehoe.79
Email: rachel_kehoe@outlook.com
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books
Cracking the Code: The Human Quest to Uncover Secrets (Orca Book Publishers, 2025)
The Trailblazing Life of Viola Desmond – A Civil Rights (Orca Book Publishers, September 2023)
Educational Publishing
Foods from China (Child’s World, January 2024)
Living with Gender Dysphoria (Bright Point Press, August 2023)
Religions of the World – A Look at Islam (Bright Point Press, August 2023)
Medical Detecting – Detecting Brain Disorders (Navigator Books, August 2023)
Medical Detecting – Detecting Heart Disease (Navigator Books, January 2023)
Articles – Magazine and Online
“Ape Antics” Muse Magazine (April 2024)
“Investigating Icy Moons: The Search for Hidden Oceans-and Extra-Terrestrial Life,” Muse Magazine (March 2024)
“From Ice to Oasis,” Muse Magazine, (January 2024)
WANDA ROBSON
The late Wanda Robson was a well-known storyteller, author, community activist and unceasing crusader in seeking justice for her older sister Viola Desmond, who was wrongly arrested in 1946 for sitting in the “white only” section of the Roseland Theatre in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. In 2010 she published Sister to Courage: Stories from the World of Viola Desmond. Wanda was a longtime resident of North Sydney, Nova Scotia, where she lived with her husband, Joe, until she passed away in 2022.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Sister to Courage: Stories from the World of Viola Desmond, Canada’s Rosa Parks, 2010
The Trailblazing Life of Viola Desmond: A Civil Rights Icon, 2023
CHELSEA CHARLES
Residing in the GTA, Chelsea Charles is a freelance illustrator with a BAA in Illustration from Sheridan College. She creates digital work, often with a traditional charm. She’s built a career from illustrating everything from sports stars and actors to political concepts. Beyond her work, she finds solace listening to music, sharing playful moments with her cat Charcoal and dog Stokley, all the while daydreaming of travelling to Japan.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Website: https://www.chelseacharlesillustration.com/
Instagram: @chelseacharlesillustration
Email: chelseahaleycharles@gmail.com
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Little Black Lives Matter – Publisher: Seven Stories Press, Year: 2023
The Trailblazing Life of Viola Desmond – Publisher: Orca Book, Year: 2023
The Hockey Jersey – Publisher: Scotiabank, Year: 2023
5 Minute Hockey Stories All-Star Edition – Publisher: Harper Collins, Year: 2024
