Bust of Lincoln Alexander, Canada's 1st Black MP and former Ontario LG, unveiled at Queen's Park

A bust of Lincoln Alexander, Canada's first Black member of Parliamentand aformer lieutenant governor of Ontario, was unveiled at Queen's Park on Sunday.

The statue of Alexander, who was born in Toronto and went on to represent a Hamilton riding as an MP for 12 years between 1968 and 1980, is the first of a Black politicianto stand in the Ontario Legislature.

The bust was sculpted by award-winning Toronto artistQuentin VerCetty.

"In my opinion, he was oneof the greatest Canadians,"VerCettysaid of Alexander in an interview with CBC Radio'sMetro Morningon Friday.

"He's one of the most decorated Canadians of all time awar veteran, lawyer, community activist, so many titles," he added.

Alexander served as the province'slieutenant governor from 1985 to 1990, the first Black person to hold a viceregal position in Canada. He would go on to spend 16 years as the chancellor of the University of Guelph while remaining a vocal advocate for Black Canadians. He died in 2012 at the age of 90.

The province officially proclaimed Jan.21 as "Lincoln Alexander Day" in 2013, and it was recognized nationwide in 2015.

VerCettyrecalled a chance encounter with Alexander as a teen in the halls of his high school Lincoln M. Alexander Secondary School in Malton though at the time he didn't knowhe was speaking to the giant of Canadian history for whom the school was named.

"I wasn't a good student. I was skipping class," VerCettysaid. "He walked right up to me and he said, 'Young man, I can see you doing great things.'"

It took some time for that message to sink in. VerCetty eventually dropped out of high school, and it would be another five years before he went back to get his diploma. He went on to graduate from OCAD University, and he also holds a master's of art education from Concordia University.

"Looking back I realized that Lincoln saw something in me before I could see it. And before anyone else could. All my teachers told me I was going to be a failure, and I almost proved them right," he said.

LISTEN | Artist Quentin VerCetty on his bust of Lincoln Alexander:

Metro Morning7:33Toronto artist remembers 'great Canadian' Lincoln Alexander with an Afro Futuristic sculpture at Queen's Park

Quentin VerCetty created a bust of Lincoln Alexander, the first sculpture of a Black Canadian at Queen's Park.

The bust was sculpted in the tradition of "Afrofuturism," VerCetty said, a school of art and philosophy that aims to tell the stories of Black communities and people by combining history, science fiction and fantasy. It includes elements from Alexander's life from before, during and after he was Ontario'slieutenant governor.

It even has a subtlenod toStar Wars. VerCetty said he learned inconversations with Alexander's family thatAlexander had attended the 1977 Canadian premiere of the firstStar Warsfilm and remained a fan of the beloved science fiction anthologythroughout his life.

Ultimately, VerCetty said, he hopes that those who see the sculpture will beinspired by Alexander to "think about how they can embody their own greatness."