Emily Arabella "Emma" Stark[1] (born February 17, 1856) was a Canadian teacher.[2] She was the first Black Canadian teacher in Vancouver Island[3] and the first teacher in the new North Cedar School, in 1874.[2]
Emma Stark | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Emily Arabella Stark February 17, 1856 California, US |
| Died | July 31, 1890 (aged 33) Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Education | Salt Spring Island Central School and Nanaimo high school, Teacher's certificate |
| Occupation | Teacher |
| Years active | 1874–1890 |
| Spouse | James Clarke (m. 1878) |
Early life edit
Emily Arabella (Emma) Stark was born on February 17, 1856, in California, United States, to parents Louis (1816–1895) and Sylvia Stark (1840–1944),[1][4] who had been slaves in the United States.
In 1860, Stark arrived with her family on Salt Spring Island, B.C.[2] While on Salt Spring Island, her siblings John Edmond (1860–1930), Abraham Lincoln (1863–1908), Hannah "Anne" Serena (1866–1888) and Marie Albertine (1867–1966) were born.[1] The Estes-Stark family moved to Cedar, Nanaimo, in 1875, where Stark's youngest sister Louisa Edna was born (1878–1971).[1]
Education edit
Stark attended Salt Spring Island Central School, and she completed secondary school at Nanaimo high school.[1] Her instructor was primarily John Craven Jones, a graduate of Oberlin College.[5] Afterwards, Stark graduated high school; she trained to be a teacher.[1][6]
Career edit
Stark became a teacher at the age of 18 years.[1] In August 1874, she was hired to teach in a one-room school in the Cedar District;[1] her starting salary was $40 per month.[2]
She lived in a cabin that was provided for the teacher.[1] Students who lived a long way from the school boarded with Stark, including her younger sister Marie.[2]
Personal life edit
Death edit
In 1890, Stark died at the age of 34 from tuberculosis.[8][1][2][7]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k blackhistory. "Emma Stark – BC Black History Awareness Society". Retrieved 2022-02-10.
- ^ a b c d e f g "First Black Teacher on Vancouver Island: Emma Stark". British Columbia’s Black Pioneers. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
- ^ Claxton, Nick XEMŦOLTW̱; Fong, Denise; Morrison, Fran; O’Bonsawin, Christine; Omatsu, Maryka; Price, John; Sandhra, Sharanjit Kaur (2021). Challenging Racist British Columbia: 150 Years and Counting (PDF). University of Victoria and The Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives (BC Office). p. 31. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
- ^ Sandwell, Ruth Wells (2005). Contesting Rural Space. McGill-Queen's Press - MQUP. p. 186. ISBN 9780773528598. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
- ^ Kilian, Crawford (February 6, 2009). "BC's Black Pioneer Women". The Tyee. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
- ^ "Estes - Stark Collection". www.saltspringarchives.com. Retrieved 2022-02-10.
- ^ a b Kilian, C. (2020). Go Do Some Great Thing: The Black Pioneers of British Columbia. Canada: Harbour Publishing Company Limited.
- ^ Kilian, Crawford (March 15, 2016). "What BC Women Should Be on Canadian Banknotes?". The Tyee. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
Further reading edit
- Stark-Wallace, M. 1979. "The History of the Stark Family." In: Gulf Islands Driftwood. p. 9-16.
- "Estes-Stark Family History" in the Salt Spring Island Archives.