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Harold M. Brathwaite

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Harold McDonald Brathwaite
Born(1940-06-01)June 1, 1940
DiedMay 31, 2020(2020-05-31) (aged 79)
Alma materUniversity of the West Indies
University of Bordeaux
McMaster University
Occupation(s)Educator, school administrator

Harold McDonald Brathwaite (June 1, 1940 - May 31, 2020) was a Barbadian-Canadian educator and school administrator.

Early life and education

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Brathwaite was from Saint Michael, Barbados, where he was educated at St Giles' Primary School, Combermere School, and Harrison College. He moved to Jamaica for undergraduate study at the University of the West Indies, with a year abroad at the University of Lyon. He graduated from the University of the West Indies in 1965[1][2] and went on to earn a diplôme d'études supérieures [fr] from the University of Bordeaux[3] and a master's degree in French from McMaster University.[1][2] His 1969 master's thesis compared the works of André Gide and Charles Baudelaire.[3]

Career

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He worked within the Halton School District as a teacher and administrator, and then as principal of M. M. Robinson High School, before moving to the Toronto Board of Education as Superintendent of French Language Schools in 1984 and then to the Peel District School Board as director of education in 1994. He retired in 2002. In 2003, he became senior advisor to the president of Seneca College and from 2004 to 2015 he was Executive Director of the Retired Teachers of Ontario.[1][4] He also chaired the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund in Canada, and became a trustee of the Art Gallery of Toronto and a member of the Toronto Lands Corporation.[1][2]

Recognition

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In 2006, Brathwaite was awarded the Order of Ontario "for his contributions to racial harmony and education" in Ontario, and in particular for "developing and guiding initiatives to assist at risk youth in the black community".[5]

His other awards include the McMaster University Distinguished Alumnus Award, the Outstanding Educator Award of the Canadian Alliance of Black Educators, the 1995 Canadian Black Achievement Award,[6] the 1998 Harry Jerome Award for Professional Excellence of the Black Business and Professional Association,[7] the 2002 Arbor Award of the University of Toronto,[8] and, in 2007, the People For Education's First Annual Egerton Ryerson Award for Contributions to Public Education.[9]

The Harold M. Brathwaite Secondary School was named in his honour.[2]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d "Harold Brathwaite, O.Ont., Executive Director, The Retired Teachers of Ontario", Bajan Luminaries, Barbados in Toronto, retrieved 2020-01-27
  2. ^ a b c d "Honorees: Harold Brathwaite", UWI Toronto Benefit Gala, University of the West Indies, retrieved 2020-01-27
  3. ^ a b Brathwaite, Harold McD. (1969), André Gide vis-à-vis Charles Baudelaire: Two Literary Artists (thesis), Master's thesis, McMaster University, hdl:11375/10277
  4. ^ Backgrounder: Accepting Schools Expert Panel Members, Ontario Ministry of Education, June 13, 2012, retrieved 2020-01-27
  5. ^ Order of Ontario appointments announced, Ontario Ministry of Citizenship and Immigration, December 12, 2006, retrieved 2020-01-27
  6. ^ "Brathwaite's achievements recognized" (PDF), Mississauga News, February 8, 1995
  7. ^ "1998 Alumni", The BBPA Harry Jerome Awards, retrieved 2020-01-27
  8. ^ 2002 Arbor Award Recipients: Harold Brathwaite, University of Toronto Alumni Association, retrieved 2020-01-27
  9. ^ Clay, Chris (Nov 28, 2007), "Educator honoured for a lifetime of contributions", Mississauga News
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