Black History Month (February)

Read the history and stories of the Black Loyalists, former slaves who fought with the British and then tried to start a new life in Nova Scotia. The Documents section is particularly interesting and includes a transcription of the original Book of Negroes.

This article and accompanying video explain the significance of The Book of Negroes, a ledger created during the American Revolutionary War with thousands of names, ages and physical descriptions of slaves and freed black people who were settling in Nova Scotia.

This feature article from the Canadian Encyclopedia describes the Black Loyalists, promised freedom and a farm and the difficulties that they faced as they settled in Canada. There is also a 7-minute video embedded in the article; the video is a timeline of black history in Canada.

Between 1783 and 1785, more than 3000 Black persons came to Nova Scotia as a direct result of the American Revolution. This website offers some excellent histories and stories from this experience.