Emancipation Day events planned for Halifax

Emancipation Day is Thursday.

It marks the date in 1834 that the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 came into effect across the British Empire.

On August 1st, Parks Canada, the Office of African Nova Scotian Affairs, the Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21, the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia, and the Jamaican Cultural Association of Nova Scotia will present events to honour the occasion and the legacy of the Jamaican Maroons in Nova Scotia.

Everyone can and is encouraged to recognize Emancipation Day as it is a part of our shared history. Visit this website for a list of programs and events across the province.

According to a release, “The Jamaican Maroons were formerly enslaved peoples of African ancestry and their descendants who had lived in relative independence and isolation in Trelawny Town, Jamaica. In 1796, almost everyone from the town – approximately 150 families or more than 500 adults and children – were forcibly transported to the British colony of Nova Scotia. The experiences of the more than 500 Jamaican Maroons forcibly transported to Nova Scotia in 1796 exemplified the insecure rights and freedoms of African-descended British subjects in the late 18th century.”

Celebrations kick off at Halifax Citadel National Historic Site with a flag raising ceremony at 9:45 a.m.

A plaque commemorating the national historic significance of the Jamaican Maroons in Nova Scotia will also be unveiled.

In the afternoon, an exhibit on the enslavement of Black people in Canada will open at Pier 21.

There will also be a roundtable discussion at the Black Cultural Centre with members of Canada’s Parliamentary Black Caucus.

Emancipation Day event schedule for August 1st in Halifax

According to a release, here are the details:

Date: Thursday, August 1, 2024

Proclamation and plaque unveiling

Time: Flag raising begins at 9:45 a.m. (ADT)
Official ceremony begins at 10:00 a.m. (ADT)
Media are asked to arrive no later than 9:45 a.m. (ADT)

Location: Halifax Citadel National Historic Site
5425 Sackville Street, Halifax

Exhibit opening

Time: 1:30 p.m. (ADT)

Location: The Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21
1055 Marginal Rd, Halifax

Roundtable discussion

Time: 4:00 p.m. (ADT)

Location: The Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia
10 Cherry Brook Rd, Cherry Brook

Please note that this advisory is subject to change without notice.

For more events, visit here.