Our Canadian History
Have you ever heard of Africville in Nova Scotia, The Bog in Prince Edward Island or Hogan’s Alley in British Columbia? What about the No. 2 Construction Battalion or the Black Loyalists? These are our stories and yet many of us don’t know them; a part of the legacy and shame of racism that we don’t know our own history.
The photo on the home page is my great, great grandfather Isaac Paris and his family. I can only imagine the hardships he the grandson of a slave owner, endured after leaving Ireland with his two brothers and travelling to Nova Scotia. What obstacles did he encounter? What opposition, prejudice, and humiliation did he face?
Whatever it was, he survived. I am living proof of that.
Our Canadian Stories
The 2016 census reported there were 1.2 million Black people in Canada. For every one of those, there is a story waiting to be told and it’s important that we, as Black people are the ones telling those stories.
I believe that Black Canadian history was forged by the lives, stories and varied experiences of Black people. My goal is to provide a platform for Black Canadians to share their rich history. A place to share the tales of racism and discrimination, as well as the stories that demonstrate the strength and determination that helped them to stand strong and claim their place in Canadian history.
What’s your story?