A respected authority on Black history from Windsor-Essex will be honoured by the province for her contributions.
Essex resident Elise Harding-Davis, a previous curator of the Amherstburg Freedom Museum and a nationally-respected expert on Black history, is among the 24 new members of the Order of Ontario. Harding-Davis is among the new members of the Order for 2021.
According to her LinkedIn profile, Harding-Davis has been called upon for over 30 years as a consultant on African-Canadian heritage. She served as the curator of the Freedom Museum, previously known as the North American Black History Museum, from 1976 to 2008. Harding-Davis was also an administrator for Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare and taught African-Canadian studies at St. Clair College, according to her biography for the Order of Ontario.
Through her leadership of the Freedom Museum, Harding-Davis was the first Black female curator of an accredited museum in Canada.
The Order of Ontario was created in 1986 and is Ontario's highest civilian honour. It currently has 707 members.
Any current or former long-term resident of Ontario who is living, and not serving in an elected government capacity, is eligible but must have distinguished themselves in their career with a lasting impact on Ontario, Canada, or a foreign country. Nominees are submitted to the Ontario Honours and Awards Secretariat.
The Order is bestowed upon members by Lieutenant Governor Elizabeth Dowdeswell, in her capacity as the Order's Chancellor, and the province's representative of Britain's King Charles III.