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.
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
·
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.
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
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.
· 892 crew, 492 stewards and stewardess, 400 crewmen to operate ship.
·
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
·
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
·
Lifeboats
carry less than half of those aboard.
·
People
and items were tagged so families could identify
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
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
Edward Smith, English naval reserve captain who had captained many White Star Line ships
ReplyDeleteYay, I'm glad you guys got to go and see! The descendents of those Loyalists have had a hard time - there's prejudice even in Canada - but they had such a different history than African Americans, I find them fascinating. I actually started really reading about the Black Loyalists in a book by the same name by Ruth Holmes Whitehead, the curator of the Nova Scotia Museum. You're welcome to borrow the book - it's not too long, but a little dense.
ReplyDelete