Black History Month: The legacy of Virnetta Anderson, Calgary's first Black city councillor

February is Black History Month, and we recognize it by celebrating the contributions that Black Canadians have made to Canada's history and culture. 

CBC Calgary is highlighting the legacies of three Black Calgarians who broke barriers, changed the city's history and influenced its present.

This story was originally published on Feb. 24, 2021.

When American-Canadian activist and politician Virnetta Anderson was elected to city council in 1974, she became Calgary's first Black municipal councillor.

And according to Barry Anderson, Virnetta's youngest son, the work reflected a fundamental aspect of her personality: a commitment to public service that can be traced throughout the entirety of her life.

"I think one of the reasons people still seem to recognize her and celebrate her today, after all these years, is that she brought that sense of service and community commitment to politics," Barry said.

"She had the heart of a volunteer and she wanted to serve the community. She was not naive in any way, in that she knew what politics was all about. And she was able to play that game as good as anybody could. 

"But she did it from kind of a point of integrity and authenticity."

Politician, leader, civic champion

Born in Monticello, Arkansas, in 1920, Virnetta moved from Los Angeles to Calgary in 1952 after her husband, Ezzrett (Sugarfoot) Anderson, was signed to play with the Stampeders in the Canadian Football League.

In Alberta, the weather was colder but the prairie hospitality was warm, Barry said, and Virnetta soon became involved in the community and the United Church.

"Even as she kind of grew her base of supporters and friends and influencers, it was still all during a time when women were thought of as supporting the man. And for many years, she raised the family, was Sugarfoot's wife," Barry said.

But Virnetta was energetic, sharp and committed to contributing to her community, Barry said.

She would be encouraged by her friends, and people she had met through years of volunteer work, to run for a city council seat.

And in 1974, more than 20 years after moving to Calgary, Virnetta threw her hat into the political ring — and won.

"It was kind of radical for her to be a woman, a woman of colour, and to be branching out — getting out from under her husband's shadow, doing anything but church socials and church organizing, to get out and actually be a politician," Barry said.

"She never thought that politics would be a place where she would flourish, she really had the heart of the volunteer all her life, the heart of someone of service and contributing to the community in that way. 

"But, yeah, you know, wife and mother. And then all of a sudden: politician, leader, civic champion."

'It all just came down to helping people'

During her years at city council, Virnetta focused heavily on social issues, Barry said.

That funding was secured for social services, community services, and the health and welfare of seniors and disadvantaged people were priorities for her.

According to the City of Calgary, Virnetta also took on issues such as Indigenous employment opportunities, affordable housing and transportation, and influenced decisions to build the CTrain line.

"She was very much concerned about making sure that there was proper attention paid — and money — backing up these types of services and community organizations and institutions that would help people. [It] just all came down to helping people," he said.

However, as a Black woman in a male-dominated field, she faced challenges. Racism and sexism were forces back then, as they still are now, Barry said.

"People used to approach her and say, 'Well, are you for women's rights, are you for Black rights,' and all of those things. And she would always say to them … 'I'm for human rights,'" he said.

"So, she saw herself as a human being. A wife, a mother, a Calgarian, a Canadian … she was just who she was, and that's the way she carried herself her whole life."

Part of her world

Though Virnetta served only until 1977, the role built upon itself, Barry said.

It led to connections and volunteer opportunities that helped her to continue a life of public service well after her political career.

She worked with the United Way and the Calgary Rotary Club, which named her a Paul Harris Fellow in 1988.

Virnetta was also a nominee for the YWCA's Women of Distinction Lifetime Achievement Award for community service in 1992. That same year, she was nominated for the Canada 125 Commemorative Medal.

Virnetta died in 2006 at the age of 85.

When the restoration of Calgary's Historic City Hall was completed in 2020, a municipal reception hall was named after Virnetta, to honour her legacy.

"She was just an amazingly loving woman," Barry said. "But I also just remember how much fun she was … as well as her ability to to bring that all together, to connect with people and make them feel comfortable and make them feel part of her world."

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.