Zanana Akande

Zanana L. Akande (born 1937 in Toronto, Ontario) is a former Canadian politician. She was the first black woman elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, and the first black woman to serve as a cabinet minister in Canada.

Before entering politics Akande was a teacher and school principal, and she returned to being a principal after leaving politics. She holds Bachelor of Arts and Master of Education degrees from the University of Toronto, and was also educated at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education. She has long been a member of the Federation of Women Teachers Associations of Ontario.source