Today’s Black Brilliance information is about William Hall, who was born in 1827 in Nova Scotia. He became a Royal Navy sailor and won many British and Turkish medals for his service in the Crimean War. In 1857, while serving on the HMS Shannon, Hall volunteered with a relief force sent to India, where he was awarded the Victoria Cross for an outstanding display of bravery. With this award, he became the first Black person, the first Nova Scotian and the first Canadian sailor to receive this award.