Black History Month: Clotilda Douglas-Yakimchuk
Born and raised in Whitney Pier, Nova Scotia, Clotilda Douglas-Yakimchuk became the first Black graduate of the Nova Scotia Hospital School of Nursing in 1954. She also went on to earn a postgraduate midwifery diploma and psychiatric nursing certificate, and diploma in adult education. Clotilda is also the only Black President in the history of the Registered Nurses’ Association of Nova Scotia (now known as The College of Registered Nurses of Nova Scotia) to date.
Dedicating 50 years of her life to nursing, Yakimchuk was a strong influence and proponent for the nursing profession and activist for the Black community. She was the founding President of the Black Community Development Organization, which advocates for affordable housing in low-income communities. She played a significant role in the campaign for Cape Breton University (CBU) to offer its own nursing degree and as chair of a committee of the Cape Breton Retired Nurses Interest Group, Yakimchuk helped to create an award at CBU to help future nurses with the expense of a post-secondary education.
After her retirement from nursing in 1994, Yakimchuk’s life-long efforts were celebrated by her community and country. In 2003, she was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada and in 2018, she was appointed a Member of the Order of Nova Scotia. In 2010, Cape Breton University conferred upon her the degree Doctor of Laws for her inspiration of countless nurses and community work.
Sadly, Dr. Clotilda Adessa Coward Douglas Yakimchuk died from COVID-19 in Halifax on April 15, 2021, at the age of 89.
References
https://www.cbu.ca/alumni/honorary-degree-recipients/clotilda-adessa-coward-douglas-yakimchuk/
https://www.sciencerendezvous.ca/news/2022/02/18/black-canadian-contributions-to-stem/
About the Author
Claire Notman (Programming & Communications Coordinator)
Claire holds a Bachelor of Education with a major in History from Queen’s University. Throughout her professional career, Claire has enjoyed working with a number of local and national non-profit agencies developing and delivering educational programming, and supporting outreach and communications efforts. Hiking, biking and singing are the ways she take a break from the hectic day-to-day.