Fortress of Louisbourg Launches One-of-a-kind Tour

Marie Marguerite Rose spent nearly 20 years raising children, fixing meals and contributing to many other daily tasks that kept the Fortress of Louisbourg a bustling French town. Yet, the story of her life and the lives of the more than 250 others enslaved at Louisbourg have been largely overlooked until now.

Beginning July 29, Parks Canada will be offering an interpretive guided Slavery Tour at the fortress.

"The contributions that people of African descent, like Marie Marguerite Rose, made to early Nova Scotia are great and many," said Minister of African Nova Scotian Affairs Percy Paris. "This historical interpretation at the Fortress of Louisbourg paves the way for a more open dialogue surrounding our significant involvement in the history of this province."

Designated a person of national historic significance by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, Marie Marguerite is a key figure in the initial phase of the enslavement period in Canada. This new tour will feature interpretations of her life before and after enslavement.

"The acknowledgment of slavery and the role it played in the early success of Louisbourg, was a long time coming," said Parks Canada historian Ken Donovan. "Many Canadians believe that our history is untouched by slavery."

Born in Guinea, Marie Marguerite was transported to Louisbourg and purchased by naval officer Jean Loppinot in 1736. After working for the Loppinot family for two decades, raising their 12 children along with her own son, Marie Marguerite was freed in 1755. Once a free-woman, she married a Mi'kmaq hunter and together they ran a successful tavern that served her former owners and other profiteers of slave labour.

The story of Marie Marguerite is the one-of-a-kind tale of a formerly enslaved person who becomes a popular business owner and proprietor, but the tour also recounts the difficult lives of many other male, female and child enslaved at Louisbourg.

"Although slavery is a subject that many people are afraid to discuss, the fact is that from 1713 to 1758 there were 358 known slaves in Cape Breton, most of which were at the Fortress of Louisbourg," said Mr. Donovan.

The Slavery Tour at the Fortress of Louisbourg is the first of its kind at a National Historic Site in Canada. Tours take place Wednesday to Saturday starting at 2:30 p.m.

"I encourage people while on their summer holidays to visit the Fortress of Louisbourg and take in the tour," said Mr. Paris. "Each interpreter tells a unique story of African Nova Scotian heritage."