In another, a man moving from Africville to the neighbourhood of Hammond Plains received a letter threatening to burn his house down if he and his family did not leave. Despite these challenges, former residents did take action and seek justice. In the s, the Africville Genealogy Society was formed and it began to seek recompense for all the suffering caused by the destruction of the community.
In , a settlement was reached and the Mayor of Halifax made a public apology for the razing of Africville. Part of the settlement was used to rebuild Seaview Church, which now serves as the Africville Museum. Not all former residents accepted the apology, however, and some are continuing to seek individual compensation for what they suffered. Since the relocation… Africville has become central in the new Black consciousness in Nova Scotia.
It has become something to appreciate and identify with. Africville has become a symbol of why Black organization and solidarity are necessary to fight racism. Donald Clairmont, former professor of Sociology at Dalhousie University. Lindell Smith is Halifax City Councillor for District 8, which includes the site of the former community of Africville.
As only the second Black city councillor ever elected in Halifax, he is happy the City has apologized and feels that it is very important that Haligonians, and all Canadians, know what happened in Africville. But also the people of Africville had ownership and a sense of community, and that is something to celebrate.
It is important for Canadians to learn the story of Africville. It stands as a stark reminder that the language of human rights can sometimes be misused to support rights violations. It shows the consequences of racism and discrimination. Last but not least, the story of Africville teaches that we must always ensure that all the voices in our community are heard — only then can all Canadians move forward together. This story was written in part using research conducted by Mallory Richard, who worked at the Museum as both a researcher and a project coordinator.
The story of Africville The story of Africville. Tags for The story of Africville Story Discrimination. Share this Story Facebook - will open in a new tab Facebook Twitter - will open in a new tab Twitter. Black settlement in Nova Scotia. A close-knit community. View image in fullscreen gallery. A view of some houses in Africville.
The destruction of Africville. Africville resident Dorothy Carvery is moved from her home by a City of Halifax garbage truck. The legacy of Africville. As such, Africville students went to schools in Halifax.
Africville was a culturally significant place. The Africville Brown Bombers were a popular team in the Colored Hockey League of the Maritimes — a business largely run out of Africville — and drew big crowds from the CHL founding in until it closed in In the s, boxer Joe Louis — visited Africville. Louis was in Halifax to referee a wrestling match and asked where all the Black people lived.
He was told Africville, and so he went to see it for himself. In fact, Africville produced the first Black boxing world champion: George Dixon — Africville has a strong connection to music. The singer Portia White — worked as a schoolteacher in Africville. American musician Duke Ellington — visited Africville in the s.
It was seen as a rural idyll apart from Halifax. Plans to turn Africville into industrial land were revived and approved by Halifax City Council in , when the area was rezoned for that purpose. Reports prepared for council in and recommend re-housing residents to make way for industrial projects.
In , the city approved plans for an expressway to downtown Halifax that would run over Africville, but it was never built. At a public meeting in Africville in , Africvillians voted strongly against relocation, preferring to improve the existing community. In an interview at that time with the CBC , homeowner Joe Skinner explained that Africville was a place where Black people were free and that he did not want to move into Halifax to end segregation.
See also Urban Reform. The first land was expropriated in Homes were bulldozed lot by lot over the next five years. Some residents were moved to derelict housing or rented public housing. When a city-organized moving company cancelled, Halifax brought in dump trucks to move residents and their possessions. The stigma of being from Africville was compounded when families arrived at their new homes on the back of dump trucks.
Locals likened Africville to a warzone, with houses disappearing daily. Several homeowners found that their homes had been bulldozed without their knowledge or permission. One man returned from a hospital stay to find that his house had been destroyed. Many left with what they could carry. The Seaview United Baptist Church was destroyed in the middle of the night in the spring of Many residents saw this as the death knell for the community. Expropriation sped up as residents took what deals they could and left.
One resident, year-old Eddie Carvery, returned to the site of Africville in and pitched a tent in protest. Demanding a public inquiry and individual compensation for community residents, he actively occupied the site on and off for over five decades. Many realized that the sum paid for their land and property was only enough for a downpayment on a new home, or for a short period of rental in public housing. Jobs were still hard to find as many companies refused to hire Black people.
Lacking a church or any communal spaces, the displaced residents drifted apart. Some moved to Montreal , Toronto , and Winnipeg. Hundreds gather at Halifax Sailors' memorial.
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