First Free African American in Canada May Have Been Portuguese
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Mathieu da Costa is known as the first free black person to enter Canada. Many scholars assert that his background is African-Portuguese, although this allegation is yet to be proven. He was born in 1589 in parts unknown and passed away, in Quebec City, in 1619 or shortly after. He was part of the exploring party of Pierre Dugua and Samuel Champlain that traveled from France to North America.
In those days, many of those who traveled on the ships headed to the new world were from African-Portuguese ancestry, then known by their ability to speak different languages. Mathieu da Costa was one such polyglot with knowledge with languages such as Dutch, English, French, Portuguese, Mi’kmaq, and pidgin Basque – the dialect mostly used for trading with aboriginals.
What is known for certain is that he began working with the Portuguese as a translator. Known as ‘grumete’ (trainee) by the Portuguese of the time, he performed numerous menial tasks on board of ships that sailed the Atlantic Ocean. He quickly became a desired asset and received offers from the English and the Dutch, but it were the French who eventually acquired his services.
Although it is believed that Mathieu da Costa traveled to the New World with Pierre Du Gua de Monts in 1608, records show that he was in jail in Rouen, France, in 1609. By 1617, Du Gua had ended his voyages to Canada, but Mathieu stayed behind. He is believed to have died in Quebec City in 1619 or shortly after.
His legacy remains to this day. His work in Canada is honoured at the Port-Royal National Historic Site in Port Royal, Nova Scotia and was the subject of ‘Mathieu da Costa’, a graphic novel written by Diane Groulx and illustrated by Jocelyne Jatte. In 2017, Canada post released a stamp in his honour. In 1996, the Department of Canadian Heritage launched a writing and artwork contest in da Costa’s memory. There are also two streets in Quebec and one school in Toronto that bear Mathieu da Costa’s name.
He will forever be known as the first free black person to arrive in Canada and as an important figure in the relationship between Europeans and the indigenous peoples of Canada.
With files from Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathieu_da_Costa)
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About The Author
Paulo Pereira
Paulo Pereira has worked in community media for over 20 years. He started as a reporter for Sol Portugues. Later, he became Editor of Team Desportivo, Director of Flash News, Director of Jornal da Aliança, Director of Luso-Ontario Magazine, and Editor at Correio da Manha Canada's newspaper. Paulo Pereira is also a co-founder of Associacao Migrante de Barcelos where he volunteered for many years as Secretary and Sporting Director. He also volunteered for Casa do Benfica de Toronto for close to a decade as member of the Board in roles such as Public Relations Director and Vice-President for Sports and Culture. Currently, he is the President of Project First Nations, a not-for-profit organization. In November of 2023, he was elected as a member of the Portuguese Community Council, representing the District of Toronto, which includes Ontario, Manitoba and Nunavut. In 2025, he received the King Charles III Coronation Medal from Canada’s Minister of Justice and Attorney General, Arif Virani.