Oakville was sometimes the home of choice for African Canadians whose families initially moved to other areas in Canada on the Underground Railroad.
Gene “Clay” Bonner was a member of Canada’s Olympic boxing team at the 1924 Paris Games, entered in the featherweight division. Bonner was descended from African Americans who had settled in the Montreal area, and moved to Oakville later in life. Bonner was introduced into the Boxing Hall of Fame, and received his trophy at the Ontario Boxing Championships at Oakville Trafalgar High School in 1974.
Like her brother-in-law Gene “Clay” Bonner, Minerva Bonner moved to Oakville later in life. She brought with her a memorable talent for singing and performing which she had developed as Mistress of Ceremonies at Montreal\’s first all-Black night club, the Monte Carlo.
Her accompanist Gertrude Waters later became known as Oscar Peterson’s first piano teacher. In 1933 Minerva was the featured performer at the opening of Rockhead’s Paradise in Montreal, and later performed in New York City at the Black Cat Club on West Broadway. Minerva was once billed with the 10-year old Sammy Davis Jr. Unfortunately, her failing eyesight cut short her career as a professional entertainer. In Oakville during the 1970s however, Minerva was well known as a member of the Senior Citizens Choir, which performed widely, within a 50-mile radius of Oakville. She also led the Sunday Hymn Sings at the Oakville Senior Citizens Residence.
© Oakville Museum at Erchless Estate, The Corporation of the Town of Oakville, 2000
The following information is reproduced from the display panels in the exhibit “Oakville’s Black History”, as written and designed by Deborah Hudson, Curator of Collections, Oakville Museum at Erchless Estate.
