William Pearly Oliver

William Pearly Oliver (February 11, 1912 in Wolfville, Nova Scotia – May 26, 1989 in Lucasville) worked at the Cornwallis Street Baptist Church for twenty-five years (1937–1962) and was instrumental in developing the four leading organizations to support Black Nova Scotians in the 20th century: Nova Scotia Association for the Advancement of Colored People, the Nova Scotia Human Rights Commission (1967), the Black United Front (1969) and the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia (1983). He was instrumental in supporting the case of Viola Desmond. Oliver was awarded the Order of Canada in 1984.

His wife Pearleen Oliver was also a strong advocate for social justice.

Early years Oliver's great-great-grandfather was one of about 2,000 Black Loyalists who came to Nova Scotia after the War of 1812. He completed his BA in 1934 and his Bachelor of Divinity in 1936 at Acadia University. Both the Reverend and Pearleen Oliver ministered to the Cornwallis Street congregation promoting racial equality in education and employment, and providing "support ministry services to other Black churches in Nova Scotia".

War service Reverend William A. White, the previous Cornwallis Street minister who died in 1936, had served as chaplain during World War I with the No. 2 Construction Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF); Reverend Oliver was a captain in the Canadian armed service, serving as chaplain during World War II for the high concentration of Black troops from the three Canadian army services and the Merchant Navy that was stationed in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He was the only Black chaplain and he was only allowed to minister to the Black troops in the segregated city of Halifax. Near the end of the war, in 1945, inspired by the troops who had served in desegregated units during the war, Oliver helped establish the Nova Scotia Association for the Advancement of Colored People in 1945.

Nova Scotia Department of Education Oliver worked part-time for the Department of Education's Adult Education Program from 1946 to 1962. He advised the department on programs in Black Communities. It was during this period that Continuing Education and Community Development programs were undertaken. The Adult Education division of Nova Scotia's Department of Education had been established in 1945 with Guy Henson (1910–1978) as director. In 1949, Oliver visited the United States through the Carnegie grant and was introduced to new ways of "improving educational opportunities for Black communities at home."

Oliver worked full-time with the department as the Regional Representative of Continuing Education for the Halifax-Dartmouth and Halifax County from 1962 until his retirement on February 28, 1977. He "identified six goals for the Black community: improved health and schools, better homes and farms, more jobs and better use of municipal and provincial agencies."

Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia In 1972, Oliver drew up the original proposal for the creation of a Cultural Educational Centre and the Society for Protection and Preservation of Black Culture in Nova Scotia, The Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia, which was established in 1983, fulfils that role by partnering with organizations such as the African Nova Scotian Music Association (ANSMA), the African United Baptist Association (AUBA), the Health Association of African Canadians (HAAC), the Nova Scotia Department of Tourism, Culture and Heritage, as well as the Black Loyalist Heritage Society (BLHS).

In 2022, the Rev. Dr. William and Dr. Pearleen Oliver Chair of Community Leadership and Social Justice was created at Acadia Divinity College in honour of Oliver and his wife.

Research on W.P. Oliver In 1972, Colin Thomson submitted his PhD dissertation "W. P. Oliver, black educator" which informed his 1986 book entitled Born with a Call: A Biography of Dr. William Pearly Oliver, C.M.