​​​​​​​​​​​​Bramp​ton Community Builders

Brampton is the fastest growing big city in Canada, made up of diverse cultures, ethnicities, faiths, ages, abilities and genders. Our city is also culturally rich, with more than 250 cultures speaking 171 languages. Brampton’s diverse communities have made and continue to make significant contributions to our cultural, economic and social fabric.

Learn more about the people who have helped make Brampton thrive as an equitable and inclusive place for all.

The Blackburn Family

Overcoming Racism to Build a Better Community

The Blackburn family was the first modern-day Black family to live in Brampton, moving into the city in the 1950s. Estelle and Austin Blackburn purchased a home on Campbell Drive and moved to the Flowertown community.

The family was met with overt racism and discrimination, when a neighbour petitioned to have them thrown out of their new home and the community. The petition was unsuccessful.

Estelle’s life was marked by resilience, community and leadership. She became the h​ead of the Brampton Women’s Auxiliary and President of the Northwood Estates Ratepayers Association Ladies Auxiliary. She helped to raise funds for play equipment and other amenities for the Northwood community at the park currently known as Beatty Fleming Park. She also petitioned for the installation of safety lighting at the park to allow for nighttime recreational activities in the early 1960s.

Estelle’s leadership and desire to improve the lives of those in her community was matched by her husband Austin. Even after retirement he continued to run an upholstery and rug cleaning business – providing job opportunities to community and family members.

To acknowledge their significant contrib​utions to making Brampton more inclusive and welcoming for all, a documentary about the Blackburn Family was created.

Blackburn Family Documentary

The documentary is the result of a​ Council motion and resolution CW199-2022. It captures the rich history of the family and the impact they had on the Brampton community. It paints a vivid account of the family’s contributions through their own words, stories and pictures.​

The documentary was publicly screened at the 2024 Brampton International Nollywood Film Festival (BINFF).​​

Family Hi​story

Estelle Blackburn (née Earll) was born in 1915 in Owen Sound, the most north​ern terminus of the Underground Railroad. Estelle was the second youngest of twelve children and the great granddaughter of an American slave who came to Canada via the Underground Railroad. Estelle died on February 11, 1987, in Brampton.

Austin Blackburn was born in the Caribbean in 1912 and came to Canada from Montserrat at around the age of 10. He was self-employed and mentored many family and community members. Austin died on January 9, 1990. in Brampton.

The couple was married on February 5, 1934, and had five children – Gary, Neville, Lenore, Bobby and Angela. The children grew up during a time when racism was a fact of daily life, and diversity was a concept that was talked about but was not yet realized. They manag​ed the many challenges by drawing on the values their parents instilled in them – perseverance, resilience, hard work, to stand up against inequality and make a positive impact in the community.