Important Canadians in the 1920s

  • Great Canadians from the 1920s

  • The Famous Five

    • A group of five influential women:

    • Emily Murphy: First female judge in Canada.

    • Nellie McClung: Teacher and activist.

    • Louise McKinney, Irene Parlby, Henrietta Edwards: Advocated for women to be recognized as "persons" under Canadian law.

    • Their efforts aimed to enable women to sit in the Canadian Senate.

  • Emily Murphy

    • Prominent suffragist and reformer.

    • Spearheaded the movement to declare women "persons" in Canada.

    • Achievements:

    • First female police magistrate in the British Empire.

    • Active member of multiple organizations advocating for women's and children's rights, including the Canadian Women's Press Club and the National Council of Women.

  • Nellie McClung

    • Born in 1873; family moved to Manitoba in 1880.

    • Roles: Pioneer teacher, author, suffragist, social reformer, lecturer, and legislator.

    • Key Achievement: Helped Manitoba become the first province to grant women the right to vote and run for public office in 1916.

  • Mary Pickford

    • Known as the original "American Sweetheart"; born Gladys Marie Smith on April 8, 1892, in Toronto, Ontario.

    • Early Career: Starred in her first film in 1908, appearing in 51 films in 1909 alone.

    • By age 20, she had starred in 176 films.

    • Contributions: Wrote and produced films by 1913 and co-founded United Artists Studio in 1920.

    • Legacy: Awarded an Oscar for Lifetime Achievement in 1976, revered as a remarkable star of the silent film era.

  • Frederick Banting

    • Served in the First World War (1916-1919); awarded the Military Cross for heroism.

    • Renowned for co-discovering insulin;

    • In 1922, treated the first human patient, successfully saving a young boy's life.

    • By 1923, insulin was made available for diabetes treatment.

  • Stephen Leacock

    • Recognized as a foundational figure in Canadian humor and literature.

    • Authored over 60 books; was the best-selling English-language humorist worldwide in the 1920s.

    • Taught political economy at McGill University for 33 years; his humor remains engaging and relevant today.

  • The Matchless Six

    • The name given to the outstanding Canadian women's track and field team at the 1928 Amsterdam Games.

    • Competed in: Sprints, long jump, and high jump.

    • Notable Members:

    • Fanny "Bobbie" Rosenfeld: Multiple Olympic medalist.

    • Jean Thompson: World-record holder in the women's 800m.

    • Myrtle Cook: World-record holder and Olympic medalist in the 4x100m relay; also held the 100m world record.

    • Others include Ethel Smith, Ethel Catherwood, Jane Bell.

  • Lionel Conacher

    • Nicknamed "The Big Train"; voted Canada's Athlete of the Half Century (1950).

    • Versatile athlete: Played professional hockey, baseball, football, and wrestling.

    • Achievements include:

    • Undefeated wrestler at a young age; played in the NHL and won the Memorial Cup.

    • Contributed to the Toronto Argonauts' Grey Cup victory (1921).

    • Elected as a member of the Liberal Party to the Ontario legislature and later to the House of Commons.

  • Edmonton Grads (1915-1940)

    • Founded and coached by John Percy Page.

    • Unparalleled success in women's basketball: 502 wins and 20 losses over 25 years.

    • Significant milestone: First international competition won in 1923, retained trophy for 17 consecutive years till 1940.

    • Represented Canada at four Olympic Games (1924-1936), winning all 27 matches.

  • The Group of Seven

    • Early Canadian artists who shaped a unique art movement.

    • Focused on capturing the essence of Canadian landscapes through their work.

    • Founding artists included: Lawren S. Harris, JEH MacDonald, Arthur Lismer, Frederick Varley, Frank Johnston, Franklin Carmichael, and AY Jackson.

  • Guy Lombardo

    • Popular band leader born in London, Ontario.

    • Led the Royal Canadians, selling over 100 million records.

    • Notable success: Charted annually from 1929 to 1952; 21 songs reached number one.

    • Symbol of success representing Canadian entertainers on the American stage.