AFRICVILLE A SPIRIT THAT LIVES ON 971. 6225 s 19a9 I REFCOLL I ARCHIVES I Copy of 971.6225 S 1989, Africville: A Spirit that Lives On, provided by Halifax Municipal Archives Ruth Johnson Church Scene, Africville 1949 Copy of 971.6225 S 1989, Africville: A Spirit that Lives On, provided by Halifax Municipal Archives q· 1 / . b d)s c:: li Preface ('"i' .'Z- ~ Every July, hundreds of former Africville residents and permanent display at the Black Cultural Centre in ashamed from whence you have come. When people their children come from all parts of Canada and the Westphal, Dartmouth. ask you where you were born and where were your United States to the Africville Reunion on the shores of The exhibition uses the past as a message for the forefathers, tell them: We were born in Africville! We Bedford Basin, the site of Africville. They come to get future. The artifacts, contemporary and historical are proud of Africville!" Through their collaboration in re-acquainted, to reminisce, to re-establish themselves audiovisual material, photographs, memorabilia and this exhibition, the former residents of Africville can as a community. While the place called Africville no documentation - much of it, such as Ruth Johnson's surely tell all of us. longer exists, its spirit continues in the unity of powerful linocuts of 40 years ago, only recently come Is there a lesson to be learned from the experience of Africville people. to light - show the human drama of a beleaguered this community, which, though physically destroyed in Africville: A Spirit that Lives On is the result of a community which made a richly varied and self­ the 1960s, is spiritually alive to-day? The people of collaboration of the Art Gallery, Mount Saint Vincent sufficient life for itself. Africville show us that once it is achieved, community University; the Africvlle Genealogy Society; the Black In the 1950s and 1960s, two otherwise disparate endures to enrich succeeding generations and all who Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia and the National Film movements - civil rights and city planning - witness its spirit. Board, Atlantic Centre. Funded by grants from the embraced the "urban renewal" which brought about Africville Exhibition Steering Committee: Museums Assistance Programs of the Federal Africville's demise. The policy of relocation, Irvine Carvery, Africville Genealogy Society Department of Communications, with assistance from formulated with virtually no participation from Dr. Bridglal Pachai and Henry Bishop, Black Cultural the Nova Scotia Department of Tourism and Culture, Africville residents, stands as a caution to other Centre for Nova Scotia the exhibition marks the first time that those who lived communities. The experience helped shape the Shelagh Mackenzie, the National Film Board, Atlantic in Africville can share with a wider community their response in neighbouring Dartmouth, as black residents Centre memories and concerns. faced with the prospect of similar development Mary Sparling, Art Gallery, Mount Saint Vincent Opening at the Art Gallery, Mount Saint Vincent schemes, affirmed: "There'll be no more Africvilles!" University University, in October 1989, the exhibition tours At the 1988 Africville Reunion, Reverend Donald nationally from July 1990 to December 1992, after Skeir, a former Africville pastor, urged, "Residents, which it will return to Nova Scotia and be on descendants of Africville, lift your heads high. Don't be HALIFAX REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY CORPORATE LIBR,l'.).RY Copy of 971.6225 S 1989, Africville: A Spirit that Lives On, provided by Halifax Municipal Archives Acknowledgements There are many to thank for this coming together, for Gerald Clarke of the Black Educators Association; I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to this exhibition which grows and grows: Shelagh Sylvia Hamilton, Assistant Regional Director, Africville: A Spirit That Lives On. I hope that after you Mackenzie for the initial idea which grew out of our Secretary of State; and Professor Donald Clairmont, have experienced it that you come away with an working together on the exhibition A Black Professor of Sociology, Dalhousie University. Dr. appreciation for the true Africville, dispelling the Community Album; the people of Africville for sharing Clairmont also made significant contributions from his images created in the 1960s. their precious material and memories; the Museums archives for the book Africville: The Life and Death of The people of Africville would like to express their Assistance Programs of the Department of a Canadian Black Community. heartfelt thanks to Mary Sparling, Mount Saint Vincent Communication for the generous funding which Stephen Archibald, Scott Robson and Sheila University; Shelagh Mackenzie, National Film Board; enabled us to undertake an exhibition of this scale and Stevenson of the Nova Scotia Museum Complex were Dr. Bridglal Pachai and Henry Bishop, Black Cultural its subsequent national tour. unstinting in their help and advice. Bernard Hart and Centre; Charles Saunders, writer of the catalogue essay Nova Scotia's Department of Tourism and Culture Glenda Redden, of the Department of Education and all of those other folks who have worked so hard financed the poster. The Department of Education is helped us in our exploration of the possibilities of a to make this exhibit possible. generously supporting our production of a future future publication. Irvine Carvery, President comprehensive book. Two public collections of Rhonda Crawford and Dwane Provo were the two Africville Genealogy Society photographs of incalculable importance were available field workers who gathered our first interviews and lists to us: the Public Archives of Nova Scotia gave us the of materials. Rhonda remained with the project as co­ rights to use the Bob Brooks Collection and the ordinator and registrar of the continuing National Archives of Canada did the same for its Ted documentation. Donna James photographed and Grant Collection. The Halifax Herald was equally Chuck Clark taped interviews with Africville residents. generous with its archives. Earl Conrad designed the catalogue and poster, and Our Advisory Committee, which collectively and Stephen Osler designed the exhibition. This bald listing individually supported our steering committee in a of "the hired help" conveys nothing of the spirit and variety of ways, consisted of Ruth Johnson, President dedication which they all brought to their tasks. of the Black Cultural Society (and the artist who Africville is a spirit that lives on. created the linocuts 40 years ago); Stanley Carvery, Mary Sparling former President of the Africville Genealogy Society; Copy of 971.6225 S 1989, Africville: A Spirit that Lives On, provided by Halifax Municipal Archives 2 Africville: From the Outside In Introduction memories. Sometimes, I felt as though I were actually me. That's where you'll find the true Africville. there with them in Africville, sharing their experiences Finally, I found the right voice. Or maybe it found I'm not from Africville. In fact, I'm not even a Nova as they happened. People, places, and events - all of me. It was as though all the voices I had listened to on Scotian by birth, although I have become one by the elements of life in the community formed definite tape and in interviews had combined into one. And choice. Given that background, you can well imagine pictures in my mind as I listened to Africville's voices. that one voice decided to speak through me. the difficulties involved in the task the Africville But there was still one stumbling block. Which voice What an honour and a pleasure it has been to be the Exhibition Steering Committee set before me: to tell would finally commit the story to paper - mine, or vehicle for that voice! It's always going to be with me, the story of Africville from the viewpoint of the people Africville's? With my own voice, I have written novels, although I don't know if it will ever speak through me who lived there. screenplays, and other creative works. Yet as I wrestled again. It didn't take long for me to realize that I wouldn't with the demons that beset all writers, I came to realize And now, it's time to step aside and allow that voice be the one who was telling the story. The story that my voice was not the right one for this project. My to speak to you. Tum the page ... Africville is waiting wouldn't be told by me. It would be told through me, task wasn't to create. It was to re-create - to enable to greet you. by the people of Africville themselves. the reader to share the experience of Africville as Charles R. Saunders As I listened to taped interviews, read articles and Africvilleans understood it. August 1989 books, and talked with former Africville residents, I The Africville Genealogy Society provided the final was struck by the vividness, clarity, and passion of their nudge I needed. Names, places, and stories, they told Copy of 971.6225 S 1989, Africville: A Spirit that Lives On, provided by Halifax Municipal Archives 3 Copy of 971.6225 S 1989, Africville: A Spirit that Lives On, provided by Halifax Municipal Archives A Visit to Africville Summer, 1959 We atstart the end of Barrington Street. See where the pavement cuts off and the dirt road begins? That's the "Welcome to Africville" sign. We're still on Barrington Street, you understand. But it's also the old Campbell Road, and it's got a history that goes way, way back in time. Just call it "The Road." Everybody around here'll know what you're talkin' about. You can still catch a little whiff of the oil the City sprays to lay the dust. If you look over to your right, you can see the docks of Pier 9.