Effie Lafferty

Effie Lafferty belonged to a Black family who settled in Ontario in 1830 after escaping slavery in the United States. Following in the footsteps of her father – fellow UC Alumni of Influence recipient Alfred Lafferty – Lafferty graduated from UC and went on to become a teacher. Returning to her hometown of Chatham after graduation, Lafferty taught at the Chatham Collegiate Institute. In 1912, Lafferty was on her way to Detroit for a holiday when her train derailed. Although she survived, Lafferty was left permanently paralyzed. She spent the next 35 years in the hospital but maintained a positive outlook, frequently meeting with local writers who sought her advice. She also developed a passion for nature and was an avid birdwatcher, documenting 82 species of birds outside her hospital window over the years. Lafferty published a number of nature-related articles before her death in 1947.