# COMMUNITIES OF AFRICAN DESCENT IN CANADA  
Michele A. Johnson  
The earliest historical records of persons of African descent in Canada refer to a man who reportedly died in the settlement of Port-Royal (Nova Scotia) during the winter of 1606-1607 and to Mathieu Da Costa, who, in 1608 was contracted to work for Pierre Dugua de Mons as an interpreter between the French explorer-colonizers and the Mi'kmaq people during trading expeditions in Acadia (Johnston, n.d.; Johnston, 2001; Lescarbot, 1928; MacBeath, 2017; Trudel, 1960, 2017; Winks, 2000). ${ }^{1}$ While there is some question as to whether Da Costa's contract is sufficient evidence of his North American sojourn, the fact that he acquired the language skills involved makes him an intriguing  
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[^0]:    1 According to Historica Canada, Da Costa entered into a contract to work with Dugua de Mons for three years and was 'paid a salary that was quite considerable' (http://blackhistorycanada.ca/events.php?id=21). According to George MacBeath, 'Dugua de Monts [...] also known as Du Gua and de Mons', was an 'explorer, trader, governor of Acadia, and founder of Port-Royal, the first permanent settlement in Canada' (George MacBeath, 'Dugua De Monts Pierre (also known as Du Gua and de Mons)'. Dictionary of Canadian Biography, Vol. 1. (University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003). http://www.biographi. ca/en/bio/du_gua_de_monts_pierre_1E.html (Accessed 18 March 2017). A.J.B. Johnston, noting that more recent scholarship 'identifies the personage as Dugua de Mons', points out that Da Costa's contract was to last for three years starting in 1609 and that his 'annual salary was to be 60 crowns, about 195 livres, which was a significant amount' (Johnston, n.d., pp. 2, 19). See also Johnston (2001, p. 162) and Winks (2000, p. 1).  
figure with a nonetheless largely elided place in the Canadian national narrative (Johnston, n.d.; Johnston, 2001; Pachai, 1987). ${ }^{2}$