1 8 8 2 ▁- ▁ 2 2 ▁June ▁ 1 9 5 4 ) ▁was ▁a ▁Canadian ▁past or . ▁He ▁was ▁the ▁first ▁Canadian ▁of ▁African ▁her itage ▁to ▁be ▁named ▁a ▁" C it izen ▁of ▁the ▁Year ". ▁ ▁Holland ▁was ▁the ▁past or ▁of ▁Stewart ▁Memorial ▁Church ▁in ▁Hamilton , ▁Ontario . ▁ ▁Due ▁to ▁his ▁t ire less ▁work ▁in ▁the ▁community ▁he ▁was ▁given ▁the ▁award ▁of ▁" Dist ingu ished ▁Cit izen " ▁for ▁the ▁year ▁ 1 9 5 3 . ▁ ▁Mayor ▁Lloyd ▁Douglas ▁Jackson ▁presented ▁the ▁award ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 4 . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Holland ▁was ▁born ▁on ▁Christmas ▁Day ▁in ▁ 1 8 8 2 ▁in ▁Hamilton . ▁He ▁was ▁christ ened ▁John ▁Christmas ▁Holland ▁in ▁recognition ▁of ▁his ▁birth day , ▁but ▁he ▁later ▁leg ally ▁changed ▁his ▁middle ▁name ▁to ▁Christ ie . ▁His ▁father , ▁Thomas ▁John ▁Holland ▁( né ▁Howard ), ▁was ▁an ▁escaped ▁slave ▁from ▁Sand y ▁Spring , ▁Maryland ▁who ▁em igr ated ▁to ▁Canada ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 0 , ▁reported ly ▁by ▁sw imming ▁across ▁the ▁Ni ag ara ▁River . ▁There , ▁Thomas ▁met ▁and ▁married ▁Henri etta ▁Short ts ▁of ▁Salt f le et ▁Township , ▁Ontario , ▁and ▁the ▁two ▁settled ▁in ▁Hamilton ▁and ▁opened ▁a ▁fl our ▁and ▁feed ▁store ▁dow nt own . ▁Thomas ▁supp lement ed ▁the ▁family ▁income ▁by ▁tour ing ▁with ▁a ▁cho ir ▁in ▁the ▁winter ▁while ▁Henri etta ▁mind