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About 80 people gathered in front of city hall in Fredericton Monday to honour Emancipation Day for the second time in New Brunswick’s history.
“It’s so important that we’re gathered here today and we’re continuously talking and sharing the history of the Blacks in New Brunswick,” said Naomi Drummond-Leslie, an activist based in Saint John. “It’s so important that we know we were here and that we’ll always be here.”
The New Brunswick Legislature unanimously agreed to declare Aug. 1 Emancipation Day last year, but celebrations are held on New Brunswick Day.
Emancipation Day marks the day in 1834 when the Slavery Abolition Act went into effect in the British empire, thereby freeing about 800,000 enslaved people of African descent throughout the British colonies, including upper and lower Canada, according to a news release from the New Brunswick government.
Monday’s event, held by the New Brunswick Black Artists Alliance, began with speeches from local activists and elders and ended with a walk along the St. John River to join the New Brunswick Day celebrations at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery.
Drummond-Leslie said she hopes the presentation inspired people to continue demanding that Black history remain a priority.
She said the event received a great turnout of about 80 people, considering a larger New Brunswick Day event was taking place just down the street.
Drummond-Leslie said the decision to join the New Brunswick Day festivities was important to encourage unity.
“It’s just being together … that community connection,” she said.
For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.
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