Albert Jackson first Black mailman in Canada
On a mild February day, during a walk through Toronto’s historic Necropolis Cemetery, I came upon the grave of a true Canadian trailblazer—Albert Jackson, Canada’s first Black mailman.
Albert’s journey to Canada began in 1858, when he and his family escaped enslavement in the United States and made their way across the border, eventually settling in St. Catharines, Ontario.
In 1881, at the age of 22, Albert was hired as a letter carrier in Toronto—a landmark appointment at the time. But on his first day, his white co-workers refused to train him, and a supervisor demoted him to a lower-paying position as a caretaker.
News of this injustice quickly spread, and the Black community in Toronto rallied behind Jackson. Local press covered the story, and community leaders took action, securing a meeting with Prime Minister Sir John A. Macdonald. They demanded that Jackson be reinstated to his rightful post with full training and equal treatment.
Their efforts succeeded. Albert Jackson returned to his job as a letter carrier and went on to serve with honour and dedication for nearly 36 years with what is now Canada Post.
Albert Jackson died in Toronto on January 14, 1918. He was 61.
1857-1918
The Albert Jackson Processing Centre in Toronto, Ontario is a state-of-the-art Canada Post facility, which opened in the spring 2023 and named after this important figure in Canadian history.
