August 1, 2024 is Emancipation Day around the world and Nova Scotia officially designated August 1 as Emancipation Day in the Nova Scotia legislature on April 13, 2021.
Emancipation Day celebrations began on 1 August 1834, when people of African descent in Canada marked the end of more than 250 years of enslavement throughout the British Empire. In Nova Scotia, new exhibits have been opened to commemorate the day and provide excellent learning opportunities for residents and visitors alike!
Emancipation Day Ceremony
Jamaican Maroons Commemorated at Citadel Hill
The Jamaican Maroons in Nova Scotia were honoured and commemorated for their national historic significance with the unveiling of an Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada (HSMBC) plaque at Halifax Citadel National Historic Site.
The Jamaican Maroons were formerly enslaved peoples of African ancestry and their descendants who had lived in relative independence and isolation in Trelawny Town, Jamaica. In 1796, almost everyone from the town – approximately 150 families or more than 500 adults and children – were forcibly transported to the British colony of Nova Scotia. The experiences of the Jamaican Maroons exemplified the insecure rights and freedoms of African-descended British subjects in the late 18th century.
Jamaican Maroons in Nova Scotia
New Exhibit at Pier 21
Opened in honour of Emancipation Day, we encourage all Nova Scotians to visit the exhibition "A History Exposed: Enslavement of Black People in Canada" at Pier 21.
More information is available on the Pier 21 website https://pier21.ca/a-history-exposed-enslavement-black-people-canada-0
Watch the Exhibit Launch Ceremony
Emancipation Day is an opportunity for all Nova Scotians to learn more about the history of people of African descent while continuing to address and eradicate systemic anti-Black racism still faced today. We must acknowledge that slavery was part of our country’s grim past, and this history must be shared.
For opportunities to learn more about Emancipation Day: