August 1 is Emancipation Day.
“Emancipation Day is the day that The Slavery Abolition Act became law in the British Empire (including Canada) and ended the practice of slavery for millions of African People and their descendants around the world. The Act became law on August 1, 1834 marking the first Emancipation Day.” (Source: The Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia)
In 2021, the governments of Canada and Nova Scotia officially designated August 1 as Emancipation Day and, in so doing, helped to ensure that our future will be informed by our past.
We asked Delvina Bernard, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion and Accessibility Advisor at MSVU, for her thoughts on Emancipation Day and she shared some important history as well as ideas on how we can mark the day.
Watch this video for her reflections:
Emancipation Day Events
- Provincial proclamation, municipal flag raising and unveiling of the Jamaican Maroons Commemorative National Historic Site
Thursday, August 1, 2024, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., Fort George (Citadel Hill) - A History Exposed: The Enslavement of Black People in Canada Exhibition opening
Thursday, August 1, 2024, 1:30 p.m., Pier 21 – Watch live online - Emancipation Day Roundtable with Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard
Thursday, August 1, 2024, 4 p.m., Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia – Watch live online - Freedom Narratives: Emancipation Day Art Celebration
Thursday, August 1, 2024, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., Paul O’Regan Hall, Halifax Central Library