The Ontario Heritage Trust yesterday unveiled four updated provincial plaques commemorating four significant communities and events from Southwestern Ontario and Niagara Region’s Black history.
The plaques honour the resilience and perseverance of Black communities in the face of hardship and celebrate the success of Black settlers and freedom seekers who have contributed to the fabric of the province. Later this year, the trust will be working with partners to host local events and permanently install the new plaques.
The plaques commemorate:
The Buxton Settlement: In recognition of the long-standing legacy of the thriving free Black community in North Buxton. Read the plaque backgrounder to learn more. The plaque will be permanently installed in South Buxton.
The Wilberforce Settlement: In commemoration of freedom pioneers who boldly envisioned a Black community of freedom, self-determination and equality. Read the plaque backgrounder to learn more. The plaque will be permanently installed in the town of Lucan near the Donnelly Museum.
The Solomon Moseby Affair 1837 (formerly The Niagara Courthouse and Gaol): Shares the story of freedom seeker Solomon Moseby, who faced extradition back to the US, and the 200 Black community members who mobilized to protect Moseby. Read the plaque backgrounder to learn more. The plaque will be permanently installed at Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Niagara Baptist Church Burial Ground (formerly the Negro Burial Ground 1830): Recognizes the significant Black community and congregation formed in Niagara. Read the plaque backgrounder to learn more. The plaque will be permanently installed at Niagara-on-the-Lake.
The original plaques were created between 1957 and 1966 and reflected the biases and terminology of the time.
The newly rewritten plaques now present an expanded understanding of the local communities’ Black history and, thanks to new findings, they recentre the experiences and voices of the Black individuals who were once excluded.
Established in 1955, the Provincial Plaque Program is the trust’s oldest program with 1,285 provincial plaques across the province to date.
Work formally began in 2018 to address plaques identified as dated, exclusionary or used language that’s no longer appropriate. In addition to yesterday’s plaques, several others have been identified as needing new approaches and for future rededications.
