Ralph Thomas honours Cornelius Sparrow's legacy in Saint John’s Black history
Author: UNB Newsroom
Posted on Aug 21, 2025
Category: UNB in the News
When Ralph Thomas (DLitt'19) speaks about Cornelius Sparrow, his voice carries the weight of history and the urgency of remembrance.
As a previous president of PRUDE Inc. (Pride of Race, Unity and Dignity through Education) and co-founder of the New Brunswick Black History Society, Thomas has spent decades uncovering and preserving the stories of Black excellence that have long been buried beneath the surface of Saint John’s past.
Among those stories, none resonates more deeply than that of Cornelius Sparrow, a man born into slavery in Virginia who, against all odds, became a pillar of Black enterprise and community life in 19th-century Saint John, New Brunswick.
Modern-day champions like Ralph Thomas refuse to let the legacy of Cornelius Sparrow fade.
Learn more about Ralph Thomas and his work at the CBC.