Rosemary Sadlier OOnt (Order of Ontario) is a social justice advocate, researcher, writer, consultant and international speaker on Black History, anti-racism and women’s issues. She is the past President, serving for 22 years as the unpaid leader, of the Ontario Black History Society. She was the driving force behind the secured commemoration of February as Black History Month at all levels of government; she secured August 1st as Emancipation Day municipally in 1995 and provincially in 2008 with the national motion passed in March 2021 making this a national commemoration in Canada.
Sadlier saw to the creation of the national day for the Hon. Lincoln Alexander. She has given deputations to the UN Rapporteur on Race Relations, the Federal and Provincial Governments and on consultative work with the Royal Ontario Museum, the CMHR, The Ward Heritage Interpretative Group, the Bi-National Study of the Underground Railroad and heritage conferences. Previously, she served on the final selection committee of the national Mathieu Da Costa Challenge for Canadian Heritage and the Canada Post Stamp Advisory Committee.
An arts supporter, Sadlier was on the board of Obsidian Theatre and has served as historical/cultural consultant on film scripts and productions. An author, she has written seven books on African Canadian history. An educator, she has developed or contributed to African Canadian curriculum, national exhibits and publications. She was an appointed member of the College of Early Childhood Educators and is a Fellow of the Ontario Teacher’s Federation. A consultant, she effects diversity, equity and inclusion projects and was recently appointed Equality Lead for the Americas and the Caribbean with the Royal Commonwealth Society. Sadlier is dedicated to social justice and, using the frame of Black History, seeks to educate and empower others.