Member of the Order of Canada

• Awarded on: May 8, 2014
• Invested on: November 21, 2014

For her pioneering achievements as a jazz vocalist, and for breaking down barriers and fostering race relations in the mid-20th century.

Eleanor Collins is a supremely talented vocalist who changed the face of race relations in mid-20th century Vancouver. In 1948, she was ostracized upon moving into one of the city’s predominantly white neighbourhoods. She responded by fostering the values of equality and acceptance within her community—and consequently became a civic leader and pioneer in the development of British Columbia’s music industry. Celebrated for her extensive career as a jazz singer with CBC Radio and Television, she became the first Black artist in North America to host a nationally broadcast television series.