Monday, February 17, 2020 is Heritage Day in Nova Scotia.  In 2020, Heritage Day honours the Community of Africville.

On the shores of the Bedford Basin, on the northern edge of peninsular Halifax, lies Africville.  For over 150 years, Africville was home to the hundred of individuals and families who settled there, some of whom could trace their roots in Nova Scotia back to the late 1700s.  Africville was a vibrant, self-sustaining community that thrived despite the hardest opposition. (Credit: Africville Museum)

In the late 1960s, Africville was demolished and part of the lands were converted into the municipally owned Seaview Park. Today, the Africville National Historic Site of Canada is a site of remembrance for Halifax’s African Canadian community. Africville is a symbol of African Canadian community organization and a site of pilgrimage for people honouring the struggle against racism. 

The year 2020 marks the 10th anniversary of the Africville apology.  Heritage Day 2020 will honour this National Historic Site, which holds great significance to the African Nova Scotian community. 

For more information on Africville, please go to:  https://africvillemuseum.org/frontpage/sliding-through-africville/

Heritage Day is an annual reminder of our province's storied past and an opportunity to honour the remarkable people, places and events that have contributed to our unique heritage.