Birchtown
The first large group of immigrants in Canada were the Black Loyalists who came as refugees after the American Revolution between 1782 and 1785. About 3,500 to 4,000 people settled throughout Nova Scotia, including Birchtown. This was the largest settlement of free Blacks in the world outside of Africa. However, these immigrants faced difficulties as…
Read MoreBlack Loyalist Heritage Centre
The Black Loyalist Heritage Centre explains how Nova Scotia hosted the world’s largest free African population outside of Africa in the late 18th century. Visitors will find a museum and library where they can search for their ancestral roots and follow the Black settlers’ footsteps
Read MoreShelburne Riots
The Shelburne riots took place in the summer of 1784 by Loyalist veterans of the American War of Independence against Black Loyalists and government officials. This incident is considered the first race riot in Canada, lasting about a month. The Shelburne Riot was symbolic of the broader racial prejudices encountered by Black Nova Scotians in…
Read MoreDaurene Lewis
Daurene Lewis was the first black female mayor in Canada. She was born in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia, in 1943. She was a descendant of a freed Loyalist African American who settled in Annapolis Royal in 1783. In 1984, Lewis was elected mayor of Annapolis Royal. She was the first Black mayor in Canada.
Read MoreRose Fortune
Born during the American Revolution to enslaved parents, Rose emigrated to Canada at age ten. Her family settled in the Annapolis Valley in Nova Scotia. Rose is known for her talent as a businesswoman when neither women nor Black persons were encouraged to pursue entrepreneurial opportunities
Read MoreDigby
The Digby area was known as Brindley Town in the 18th century, the second-largest Black community of Nova Scotia, located about 3 km south of Digby, now known as Jordanstown. None of the people of Brindley Town were ever granted farm lots due to corruption surrounding land distribution. About half of the Blacks in the…
Read MoreAfrican Nova Scotian Directory
The African Nova Scotian Directory offers a service that connects African Nova Scotians to each other and the province by providing an expansive public database online. Visitors can search for and contribute to a comprehensive public database of African Nova Scotian points of interest like culture, food, business, education, music, and spirituality.
Read MorePreston
Some Black Loyalists settled in Preston between 1782 and 1785. In 1796, a group of 600 exiled Jamaican Maroons settled in Preston (known as Preston Township at the time.) They helped build Government House, worked on new fortifications at the Halifax Citadel, and served in the militia. Nowadays, Preston has the largest percentage of Black…
Read MoreBlack Cultural Centre
The cultural centre aims to protect and preserve Black culture in Nova Scotia. It’s a cultural heritage museum that focuses on African Nova Scotian history. The centre is dedicated to celebrating the rich history and culture of Nova Scotia’s Black community.
Read MoreGuysborough and Tracadie
A large group of Black Loyalists settled in Guysborough at Chedabucto Bay in 1784 after a fire swept through and destroyed their original Port Mouton settlement during the winter. Little Tracadie was the only Black community that was not substantially depopulated by the Sierra Leone exodus. Most of the Blacks in the area today are…
Read More