In 2018, Viola Desmond’s likeness appeared on the Canadian ten-dollar bill, leading many people to wonder about her story. Who was she and why is she an important figure? Viola was a stubborn, entrepreneurial woman who stood up against racial discrimination. Denied a floor seat in the whites-only section at a cinema in 1946, she was forcefully removed, arrested, and convicted of tax evasion. She owed a single penny. Viola fought for her rights in court, even appealing her case to the Supreme Court of Canada, but was unfortunately denied. Her actions sparked controversy among the Black community at the time, and her career, reputation, and relationships were all impacted. In the end Viola chose to leave her family and friends in Nova Scotia and move to New York City to start over. Tragically, it was there that she died, alone and far from her loved ones, at the relatively young age of fifty. It wasn’t until the year 2010 that Viola Desmond received a full pardon for her supposed “crimes” and conviction. Today, her struggle for justice and her contribution to the modern civil rights movement is widely recognized.