Emancipation Day — August 1

Posted on August 1, 2021 by Gail Dever

Today is Emancipation Day in Canada.

August 1 marks the actual day in 1834 that slavery was abolished throughout the British Empire, freeing enslaved people in Canada.

The day celebrates the strength and perseverance of Black communities in Canada.

Canadians are not always aware that Black and Indigenous Peoples were once enslaved, since the early 1600s, on the land that is now Canada.

In his book, Canada’s Forgotten Slaves: Two Hundred Years of Bondage, the Quebec historian Marcel Trudel estimated that there were about 4,200 enslaved people in the area of Canada known as New France, and later in Upper and Lower Canada, between 1671 and 1831. Initially, about two-thirds of these enslaved people were Indigenous and one-third were of African descent.
Image: Government of Canada.

The House of Commons voted unanimously on March 24 this year to officially designate August 1 Emancipation Day.

Each August 1, Canadians are invited to reflect, educate and engage in the ongoing fight against anti-Black racism and discrimination. Learn more on the Government of Canada’s website.

Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia Archives holds many records documenting the history of slavery across the province and it has created a resource to build context around Emancipation Day, including Nova Scotia’s history of slavery, the experience of enslaved people, and contemporary reaction to Emancipation. The website is definitely worth a visit.

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