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Howard McCurdy

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For the professor of public affairs, see Howard E. McCurdy.
Howard McCurdy
CM OOnt
Member of Parliament
for Windsor—St. Clair
(Windsor—Walkerville; 1984–1988)
In office
4 September 1984 – 25 October 1993
Preceded byMark MacGuigan
Succeeded byShaughnessy Cohen
President of the National Black Coalition of Canada
In office
1969–197?
Alderman, the city of Windsor
In office
1979-1983
President of the Windsor Black Coalition
In office
2003–2005
Personal details
Born
Howard Douglas McCurdy

(1932-12-10)10 December 1932
London, Ontario, Canada
Died20 February 2018(2018-02-20) (aged 85)
Windsor, Ontario, Canada
Political partyNew Democratic Party
SpouseBrenda Lee
Children4
Residence(s)Windsor, Ontario, Canada
ProfessionBiochemist, professor

Howard Douglas McCurdy CM OOnt (10 December 1932 – 20 February 2018) was a Canadian civil rights activist, politician and university professor.

Early Lifer

Born in London, Ontario, McCurdy's great-great grandfather Nasa McCurdy was an agent on the Underground Railroad by which African-American slaves escaped to Canada in the 19th century.[1][2]

He moved to Amherstburg, Ontario, when he was 9 and encountered racism for the first time when he tried to join the Cub Scouts and was excluded, being told to form a Black-only troop.[2] He later traced his activism back to his experiences with discrimination at this young age.[3]

Academic Career

McCurdy studied at the University of Western Ontario, where he received a Bachelor of Arts, and later at Assumption University, where he received a Bachelor of Science. He was awarded a Master of Science and a Ph.D. in microbiology and chemistry from Michigan State University. McCurdy has also served for a time as Michigan State University's president of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), which he founded.[1]

In 1959, he joined the Biology Department at Assumption College (later the University of Windsor) and, after initially being hired as a lecturer,[3] he eventually became the first person of African descent to hold a tenure-track position in a Canadian university.[2] He was Department Head from 1974 to 1979.[1] In 1976–80 he founded and was President of the Canadian College of Microbiologists. McCurdy authored more than 50 scientific papers and served on the editorial boards of Bacteriological Reviews and the Canadian Journal of Microbiology. In 1967–68 he was president of the Canadian Association of University Teachers.

In 1962 he founded the Guardian Club a civil rights organization to fight racial discrimination in Windsor. In 1969 he was the co-founder and the first President of the National Black Coalition of Canada.[1]

Political Career

McCurdy's speech at the New Party's founding convention is credited with choosing the name New Democratic Party (NDP). In 1979, he was elected alderman for Ward 3 in the City of Windsor and served two terms.[1][4] He resigned from City Council on 24 September 1984, after he was officially declared the winner of the recent federal election for the local electoral district by Elections Canada.[5]

Member of Parliament

While still serving as an alderman, he became the New Democratic Party's candidate in the 1984 federal election for the riding of Windsor—Walkerville . Since 1935, the riding was a Liberal stronghold.[6] Not only did McCurdy win, but the Liberal candidate, Terry Patterson, came in third, behind the Progressive Conservative candidate Tom Porter.[6] With his victory, he became Canada's second Black Member of Parliament (MP) after Lincoln Alexander, and the first Black NDP MP.[1] He ran for re-election in the redistributed riding of Windsor—St. Clair for the 1988 election. He defeated Liberal candidate Shaughnessy Cohen.[7]

1989 NDP Leadership Run

When Ed Broadbent stepped down as the federal NDP leader, McCurdy decided to run. The delegated leadership convention was held in Winnipeg from 30 November to 3 December 1989. McCurdy finished fifth on the first ballot and decided drop-off the ballot for the second. He moved his delegates over to fellow Windsor MP, Stephen Langdon,[8] and then decided to eventually endorse Audrey McLaughlin, who would go on to win.[9] McLaughlin lead the NDP to their worst-ever defeat in the 1993 federal election.[10] That weak NDP campaign hurt his re-election chances when he faced-off against Cohen again, and lost.[11]

After House of Commons

McCurdy campaigned for the Ontario New Democratic Party nomination in Windsor—Sandwich in the build-up to the 1995 provincial election, but was unexpectedly defeated by Arlene Rousseau. McCurdy had been endorsed by Premier Bob Rae, while Rousseau was an ally of party dissidents such as Peter Kormos.

In 2003, McCurdy supported Bill Blaikie's campaign for NDP leader.

He served as the president of the Windsor Black Coalition from 2003–2005.[3]

Death

McCurdy in later life was dealing with health issues, including more than one form of cancer.[1] He died on 20 February 2018, at the age of 85 and was survived by his wife Brenda,[10] four children, and 10 grandchildren.[2]

Awards

McCurdy has received many awards, including the Canadian Centennial Medal in 1967, the Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal in 1977, and in 2001 the J. S. Woodsworth Award for Human Rights.[12]

In 2012, McCurdy was made a member of the Order of Ontario.[13]

In November 2012, McCurdy was designated a Member of the Order of Canada.[14]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g Chen, Dalson; Waddell, Dave (21 February 2018). "Renowned Windsor civil rights activist and former MP Howard McCurdy dies". Windsor Star. Archived from the original on 13 June 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d Pearson, Craig (20 January 2012). "McCurdy named to Order of Ontario". Windsor Star. Archived from the original on 21 February 2018. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Windsor Public Library. "Howard Douglas McCurdy". Archived from the original on 10 September 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  4. ^ Star Staff (6 September 1984). "Council seat up for grabs". Windsor Star. pp. A3, A4. Retrieved 21 March 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ Fox, Brian (25 September 1984). "Ward 3 byelection shot down by Mayor". Windsor Star. pp. A1, A10. Retrieved 21 March 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b Doeien, Chris Vander (5 September 1984). "McCurdy's 'historic' win topples Liberal fortress". Windsor Star. pp. A3, A4. Retrieved 20 March 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Beneteau, Marty; Brennan, Richard (22 November 1988). "McCurdy wins battle, vows to continue war". Windsor Star. p. A5. Retrieved 20 March 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ Freeman, Alan (4 December 1989). "NDP CHOOSES A LEADER Afternoon of alliances, betrayal catapulted McLaughlin to power". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. p. A10. Retrieved 20 March 2024 – via ProQuest.
  9. ^ Winsor, Hugh (4 December 1989). "Keen organization and networking compensated for lacklustre speech". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. p. A10. Retrieved 20 March 2024 – via ProQuest.
  10. ^ a b Lajoie, Don (26 October 1993). "National profiles just weren't enough". Windsor Star. p. A5. Retrieved 21 March 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  11. ^ Henton, Darcy (26 October 1993). "Ontario Goes True Grit: Liberals take 98 ridings, Reform grabs 1". Toronto Star. p. B2. Retrieved 20 March 2024 – via ProQuest.
  12. ^ Keith A. P. Sandiford, A Black Studies Primer: Heroes and Heroines of the African Diaspora, Hansib Publications, 2008, p. 304.
  13. ^ "27 Appointees Named To Ontario's Highest Honour". Ontario. 20 January 2012.
  14. ^ "Howard McCurdy, C.M., O.Ont., Ph.D." The Governor General of Canada. 19 November 2012.
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