Reverend Farifax

Reverend Donald Fairfax, C.M., D.D.

Doctor of Civil Law

Reverend Fairfax will receive an Honorary Doctor of Law Degree. He was born and raised in the community of Cherry Brooke, NS. Leaving the community at the age of 17, he soon found his way to Cornwallis Street Baptist Church in Halifax. His early association with the church was when he sang in the choir, under the leadership of the late Miss Portia White who was the Organist at that time. He was baptized in 1941, and ordained as a minister in 1951. In 1987 he was appointed to the Board of the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission. In 1989 he was awarded the 1989 Ronald Stafford Memorial Award by the Nova Scotia Association of Social Workers for his outstanding community and social advocacy work in the city of Dartmouth. And in 1991 Rev. Fairfax completed 44 years of faithful, dedicated service as Pastor of Victoria Road Church.

He has been a role model for African Nova Scotians for years. He has served on the Board of Directors of the Black United Front of Nova Scotia and was the first Chairperson of the Artifacts Committee of the Black Cultural Society of Nova Scotia. His community service also includes serving as a member of the Children’s Aid Society for two consecutive terms, member of the Board of Directors with the Nova Scotia Mental Health Association, Commissioner for Nova Scotia Legal Aid for 17 years, and a key member of the Revitalization Committee for the City of Dartmouth.

He has received a number of honours for his significant record of public service. In 1981 he was inducted into the Black Wall of Fame, and four years later the Home for Coloured Children dedicated the Rev. D.E. Fairfax Chapel in honour of his involvement in the work of the home for more than 30 years. In 1989 he was awarded the Ronald Stafford Memorial Award by the Nova Scotia Association of Social Workers for his outstanding community and social advocacy work in the City of Dartmouth and the Province of Nova Scotia. He was appointed to the Order of Canada in 1990 and since then has received other awards including an Honorary Degree from Acadia University and the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Award.