African Nova Scotian Exhibit Celebrates African Heritage Month

An exhibit reflecting the province's long and significant African-Nova Scotian heritage has been mounted by the Nova Scotia Archives in honour of African Heritage Month.

"We have a rich African history in Nova Scotia," said Brian Speirs, provincial archivist, "and we hope this exhibit will encourage Nova Scotians and others to further explore our African heritage."

Among the items on display are:

• a bill of sale for 'Dinah', an enslaved African Nova Scotian; -- a watercolour of Rose Fortune, Black Loyalist;
• a land petition from Gabriel Hall, a Black refugee of the
  war of 1812;
• and a photograph of William Hall, Victoria Cross winner.

The exhibit also includes photographs of some of the early Black settlements in Nova Scotia, such as Preston, Hammonds Plains and Five Mile Plains, and descendants of the early settlers from 1880-1955.

The nearly 50 items on display are from a much larger online exhibit celebrating African Nova Scotian heritage, available on the website at www.gov.ns.ca/nsarm/virtual/africanns .

"The online exhibit was designed to appeal to a broad audience, including general-interest visitors, genealogists and students, but especially to those interested in African Nova Scotian history," said Mr. Speirs.

Visitors to the online African Nova Scotian exhibit can search a database of 5,000 names of African-Americans who came to Nova Scotia in 1783 and 1815-16.

The exhibit will be on display at the Public Archives of Nova Scotia, 6016 University Ave., in Halifax until March 31.