BLACK LIKE ME

July 23

Hey there Campers;

My goddaughter Tanita D reminded me just recently that there were Black Loyalist in Canada.  So we checked with the Visitors Guide and found the Black Cultural Centre in Dartmouth. This is only 5 miles from where we are staying.

 

This center was very informational about our brothers and sisters north of us.

 

There are 53 black communities in Nova Scotia. The charts show the different areas where they came from.

 

 

We were given an insight into the NS black culture from our host. She is of Lebanon (mom) and dad indigenous Maroon black.

She explained the flowers on the floor showed where the black community are. Migration Routes.

 

On the ceiling shows an African map.

A history of what blacks  have achieved in a time period

 

In the Many Rivers Crossed exhibit it is a cross-section of the communities. In the face of ancient and sometimes deeply held prejudices, the people of African Nova Scotia demonstrated perseverance. Ancestors crossed many rivers into a hard worn better world. -BCC

During Black History month the post office release stamps featuring people of color.

 Each community has pictures of what life was like for their people.

A history of fire and police shows that it was not into 1957 that the first firefighter was on the team. The first black police officer did not happen until 1967. Both jobs are now where represented by people of color. The Royal Mounties did not get a member until 1970. The women came in 1973.

Slave notices. When you review the auction slips. It still feels degrading. Slavery goes back thousands of years around the planet. It is interesting that when most think of slavery they immediately think of African slavery. This is probably because every person has in some way been effected by this heinous tradition. between 1500- 1800's between 11 - 20 million people were put in slavery. Nobody really knows because no real accurate records were kept.

Spirituality played and plays a major part in the life of black folk. Most of the people met in meetinghouses since churches were not available. Today blacks still feel a need to have some religion in their lives.

Lift every voice. Church and music has play a big part in black folk life.

When I saw this picture it  brought back memories of sitting in Beacon Light church with women and their hat and men in their suits. We too had special days of special events.

This is an interesting question "Are all Nova Scotia Blacks Baptist?" This question could  be asked of any country. The answer would be no. Church is not based on color. As blacks we are in every denomination. But so are many nationalities. We cannot let media define us.

I found this picture interesting in that this guy is a miner who sings. He helped to save 7 miners when the mine collapsed by signing. What I find interesting is he is a miner and still smoking. Hello. Did he not hear about the Black Lung Disease.

Sports has always been huge in the black life. Blacks in Nova Scotia would be no different. I have never heard of any black sports person from Nova Scotia.

The Underground Railroad did not have much impact in Nova Scotia since there are no land border with the US. Most blacks went to Ontario. The people of African descent who came to Nova Scotia was 1780's to 1820. There were a few hundred NS blacks who went to the Civil War. They enlisted as solider and sailors in the Union Army. Some who survived returned home. Others stayed in the US.

Facts:

·      People came from Alabama to NS because they were recruited by Sydney steel to come and work in a "boomtown" Black iron workers in the US were regarded as among the best. Most only stayed for two years. They suffered the same problems of prejudices and unfulfilled promises. Since the company would not pay for them to go back, many just walked back.

·         Small groups of Caribbean blacks come to Cape Breton

·         Honorable Maryann Francis was Lieutenant Governor in 2006

·         Honorable Michaelle Jean was the 27th governor of Canada 2005-2010

·         African NS took an interest in Obama's candidacy.

·         Africville was a black community in NS that started in the mid 1800's that was torn down in 1970. It was its own thriving community.

·         There were banners that highlight community leaders 

 

After we left the Cultural Center we drove to Halifax to the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic.

The ship Acadia is part of the museum so we got to tour this boat.

Sambro Lighthouse Lens. From 1906 until 1967 this lens was used in the Sambro Island lighthouse located in the entrance to Halifax Harbor.

Small Boats galore

 
Birchbark Canoe. Canoes were once a popular leisure-time activity.

This boat is designed to provide young people to race and sail.         

Question and Answer wheel to provide information on the War of 1812

Black Refugees in Nova Scotia

Since we saw a lot of the military items at the Citadel, we focused on the Titanic exhibit.

Facts

·         15,000 men and women worked three years to build

·         882 feet in length

·         3 million rivets

·         16 watertight compartments

·         2,000 windows

·         Most powerful civilian wireless station afloat

·         50 line telephone

·         4 elevators

·         2 barbershops

·         4 dining rooms, 1 restaurant, 3 cafes

·         18 hole deck golf, swimming pool, squash court, gym
·         892 crew, 492 stewards and stewardess, 400 crewmen to operate ship.

·         1st Class passengers berth most comfortable part of ship

·         2nd Class berth amidships. Entitled to a small portion of Titanic's boat deck  

·         3rd Class single women cabins in very stern above propellers pitching most severe. 3rd Class single men cabins near the bow.

·         Steerage did not even count

·         Grand stair case

·         Engineers none who survived kept the lights working until the end.

·         Sank 2:20 AM

·         2200 people aboard only 705 survived

·         Mackay-Bennett Ship was the body recovery team

·         Most people died from exposure

·         Lifeboats carry less than half of those aboard.

·         People and items were tagged so families could identify

·         Bodies were taken to Halifax

·         Names on the wall depicting the sea of all those who died.

There has been some major changes in lifeboat reform, roles of wireless transmissions, international ice patrol.

Shoes & gloves from president of Grand Trunk Railway retrieved in wake

 

Stories

There are too many books to count about the Titanic.

 We learned about Sable Island that had constant shipwrecks.

We had a full day and decided to go home and chill.

Question of the Day

Who was the Captain of the Titanic?

Well, until the next time Campers......

Lo & Bren