Africville Apology

Eviction

During the 1940s and 1950s in different parts of Canada, the federal, provincial and municipal governments were working together to take communities labelled "slums" and relocate the people to better housing. The intent was to use the land for business and industry. Many years earlier, and again in 1947, after a major fire burnt several Africville houses, the topic of relocation of Africville was discussed. Concrete plans of relocation did not officially emerge until 1961. Stimulated by the Stephenson Report of 1957 and the creation of the City's Department of Development in 1961, the topic of relocation finally became a reality. In 1962 Halifax adopted the relocation proposal unanimously, and the Rose Report, published in 1964, was passed 37/41 in favour of relocation.^[1] The Rose report promised free lawyers and social workers, job training, employment assistance, education services, etc. to those affected. The report never went into details or analyzed what the lives of residents would be like in their new homes, but was insistent that their best interests were at heart.

The relocation took place mainly between 1964 and 1967. The residents were assisted in their move by the City's authorities, moving the Africvillians with the city dump trucks. This image forever stuck in the minds and hearts of people and indicated the degrading style in which these people were treated. There were many hardships, suspicion and jealousy that emerged, mostly due to complications of land and ownership claims. Only 14 residents held clear legal titles to their land. Those with no legal rights were given a $500 payment and promised a furniture allowance, social assistance, and public housing units.^[2] Young families would make enough money to begin a new life, but most of the elderly residents would not budge as they had much more of an emotional connection to their homes. They were filled with grief and felt cheated out of their property. However, resistance to eviction became harder as more people accepted and homes disappeared. The city quickly demolished each house as soon as residents moved out. The church at Africville was demolished in 1969 at night to avoid controversy. The last Africville home was demolished on January 2, 1970.

Part of Africville is now occupied by a highway interchange that services the A. Murray MacKay Bridge; however, the port development at Fairview Cove did not extend as far east as Africville, leaving the waterfront intact.

Developing redress

The founding families of Africville listed on the Africville Monument at Seaview Memorial Park

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Efforts to address the plight of the Africville relocation happened over twenty-five years. These efforts were largely led by the Africville Genealogy Society.^[3]

Numerous musicians have commemorated the story of Africville, in part, to pressure governments to provide a redress. African Canadian singer songwriter Faith Nolan released an album in 1986 called Africville. Montreal-born jazz pianist Joe Sealy released a CD of original music, Africville Suite, in 1996. It won a Juno Award in 1997. It includes twelve pieces reflecting on places and activities in Africville, where Sealy's father was born. Sealy was working and living in Halifax during the time of these events, and began the suite in memory of his father. Canadian jazz pianist Trevor Mackenzie released the album Ain't No Thing Like a Chicken Wing in 1997 as a tribute to the neighbourhood where his father grew up. In 2007, the Newfoundland metal/hardcore band Bucket Truck released a video for their song A Nourishment by Neglect, which details the events surrounding Africville. Additionally, in 2007, Canadian hip hop group Black Union released a song featuring Maestro about the historic community of Africville. The music video was recorded in Seaview Park.

Three years later, in 1989, a historic exhibit about Africville toured across Canada and evolved into a permanent exhibit on display at Nova Scotia's Black Cultural Centre in Preston.

There are also various film and theatre productions made to commemorate the plight of Africville. In 1991, the National Film Board of Canada released the documentary film Remember Africville, which received the Moonsnail Award for best documentary at the Atlantic Film Festival.^[4] In 1998, Eastern Front Theatre produced a play by George Boyd, Consecrated Ground, which fictitiously chronicled the Africville eviction. The story of Africville is also a significant influence on the work of George Elliott Clarke. Also in 2007, Heritage Canada began funding an independently produced documentary Stolen From Africville, written and directed by Canadian activist and performer Neil Donaldson and Sourav Deb. Released in 2008, the film follows the lives of those displaced from the Africville community over the course of a year. In 2006, Dundum Press published Last Days in Africville (by Dorothy Perkyns), a fictional account of life for a young Africville girl at the time of its destruction.

In light of the controversy surrounding the community, the city of Halifax created Seaview Memorial Park on the site in the 1980s, preserving it from development. Former Africville residents such as Eddie Carvery carried out periodic protests at the park throughout the 1980s and 1990s.^[5] In 2001, a United Nations report called for reparations be paid to the community of Africville.

In May 2005, New Democratic Party of Nova Scotia MLA Maureen MacDonald introduced a bill in the provincial legislature called the Africville Act. The bill calls for a formal apology from the Nova Scotia Government, a series of public hearings on the destruction of Africville, and the establishment of a development fund to go towards historical preservation of Africville lands and social development in benefit of former residents and their descendants. Halifax mayor Peter Kelly has offered land, money and various other services for a replica of the Seaview African United Baptist Church. After the offer was originally made in 2002, the Africville Genealogy Society requested some alterations to the Halifax offer, including additional land and the possibility of building affordable housing near the site. The Africville site was declared a national historic site in 2002.