Black History Month Challenge Feb 5-11

Action: Acknowledge and educate ourselves of the historical image of Black people in history, both locally and beyond

Feb 7: Timeline of Black History in Canada

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/timeline/black-history

Feb 8: First Black Person in Canada

The first Black person thought to have set foot on Canadian soil was Mathieu Da Costa, a free man who was hired by Europeans to act as a translator.

https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/mathieu-da-costa

Feb 9: British North America’s First Enslaved Peoples Arrive at Jamestown

The first shipload of enslaved Africans to reach British North America landed at Jamestown in 1619.

https://www.tiki-toki.com/timeline/entry/306010/Early-Black-Settlement-in-Canada/#vars!date=1588-09-30_14:30:44!

Feb 10: Code Noir

In 1685, Louis XIV’s Code Noir code permitted slavery for economic purposes only and established strict guidelines for the ownership and treatment of slaves. It was officially limited to the West Indies and, although it was never proclaimed in New France, it was used in customary law.  https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/1205/2016/02/code-noir.pdf

Feb 11: Slaves and Free Persons Reach Nova Scotia

Canada developed a reputation as a safe haven for Blacks during the American Revolution, 1775-1783. The British promised land, freedom and rights to slaves and free Blacks in exchange for services rendered. Some of the Black Loyalists who reached Nova Scotia belonged to the “Company of Negroes” that had left Boston with British troops.

https://ansa.novascotia.ca/community

Feb 12: The Story of Africville – https://humanrights.ca/story/the-story-of-africville

David George

Baptist preacher David George was a Black Loyalist from Virginia. He settled in Shelburne, Nova Scotia in 1784 and began preaching in neighbouring Birchtown. His emotional sermons drew both Black and White Christians. Using only Black community funds, George founded several Black Baptist churches and initiated a “self-help” movement that still exists.

Feb 13: Other historical impact – African Roman Emperor, Septimius Severis;

Shelburne Race Riots | The Canadian Encyclopedia

Other links of interest:

The Underground RailroadCanada’s reputation as a safe haven for Blacks grew substantially during and after the War of 1812. Between 1815 and 1865, tens of thousands of African-Americans sought refuge in Upper and Lower Canada via the legendary Underground Railroad.

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