#circa 1845

In honour of #BlackHistoryMonth, we wanted to share the story of John Ware, one of many Black individuals who have helped shape Alberta and Canada’s heritage and identity.

Born into slavery on a South Carolina plantation around 1845, he rose to fame on the prairies because of his exceptional horsemanship skills. Ware purchased a ranch near Millarville in 1891 and the next year he married Mildred Lewis. The couple had six children.

As more people moved into the Millarville area, the family relocated along the Red Deer River, north of Brooks Alberta, near what is now Dinosaur Provincial Park.