Africville:
A Broad Overview
Sam Erdelyi
The
community of Africville is an important and telling example in Canadian history
of the lives of Black refugees upon their arrivals in Canada, a country which
had only recently abolished slavery. Africville exists along Bedford Basin in
Halifax, settled by Black refugees around 1812. These refugees arrived in Nova
Scotia on the promise of land and equal rights by British government. This was
a common promise made by the British to Black people in exchange for joining
wartime initiatives, particularly for those seeking to escape slavery states.
In Africville, rather than land grants in exchange for services to the British
army, residents were given licenses of occupation. This meant that the land did
not legally belong to and could not be sold by its inhabitants.
Like
most Black settlements in Canada, the land plots given to the refugees were too
small and infertile to farm sustainably. Typically these communities were
placed along the outskirts of town and were viewed only as valuable as the work
they could produce for the neighboring White communities. Africville was no
exception to this, with the plots of land located around the outskirts of
Halifax. This was far enough away to keep the Black community socially segregated
from Whites, while also close enough for Africville people to commute to work
in Halifax. As a result, Africville became isolated and economically dependent
on Halifax, leading to poverty throughout the community. At this time, Halifax
was modernizing to include services such as sewers, streetlamps, a water
system, police patrol and fire hydrants. Africville received none of these
services and in fact were subject to several initiatives which negatively
impacted the community’s ability to thrive. A rail line was built cutting
through Africville, a prison established, a night soil disposal pit built along
with a fertilizer plant, 2 slaughter houses, a city dump and several other
industrial facilities. These builds lead to some (entry-level, general labor)
employment opportunities, but the results were largely noise, soot, pollution
and forced relocation of residents.
It
is important to note, that while the community members of Africville were
experiencing extreme racial discrimination, their community still thrived in
many ways. In particular, a huge asset to the inhabitants of Africville was the
establishment of their Baptist church. This provided a sense of community, a
physical place to educate the community, and promoted Africville identity.
Historically, churches in Black communities (usually Methodist or Baptist) have
been used for these purposes, as under the Black Codes, Black people were
legally barred from gathering in groups of more than 5, unless it was in
church. As a result, Black churches existed as spaces of resistance against
racism, as well as essential spaces to promote Black pride, community
involvement, and support. These spaces are integral to the survival of
marginalized groups in the face of oppression. It is quite clear that
Africville’s church brought the community together, helping to ensure their
survival.
In
the 50s, it was announced that Halifax would start a major renewal program,
relocating thousands of Africville residents. At this time the political
atmosphere was largely pro-integration in Canada. This can be seen through the
relocation of Africville children to schools in Halifax. As a result, rather
than fighting relocation itself, Africville fought for more favorable
conditions upon relocation. Unfortunately these conditions were never realized,
and Africville’s people were scattered through Halifax with minimal government
assistance and major unemployment issues. In response, the Africville
Genealogical Society was created in 1983 in order to carry on the “Spirit of
Africville” for the community and its descendants. They are currently working
with the Canadian Government to return Africville’s people to its land,
developing it as a history memorial, as well as a functioning source of
sustainable revenue and community.
The example of Africville is an
excellent allegory for the Black experience of early Canadian life. It is
simple to see how racism in a country which had abolished slavery still
implicates Black communities to this day. Africville’s pre-relocation history
exists as a result of racist policy which disadvantaged Africville specifically
in order to economically benefit the White population in Halifax. It is the
problematic history here which warranted, in the eyes of the Canadian government,
a complete relocation and separation of the community as a solution to the
‘issue’ of Africville. This history is not one unique to Nova Scotia, this is
an example of a common experience faced by many Black communities in early
Canada.
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