Black History: Special Delivery!!
We are often told about the history of slavery in the United States. However, Canada also participated in the slave trade. In comparison to the U.S., the number of people estimated to be enslaved in Canada was much lower. Still those enslaved in Canada experienced the same mistreatment and abuse. We often hear narratives of enslaved people escaping to freedom in Canada. However there were also groups of slaves in Canada who escaped to freedom in the United States by crossing the border into to Detroit, MI. The stories of those enslaved in Canada has often gone untold or been ignored. Slavery was legal in Canada for 200 years. In 1833, slavery was abolished in Canada 30 years before the Emancipation Proclamation was issued by President Lincoln in the U.S.. In 1793 a legislative ruling decreed that those enslaved would receive their freedom at age 25. This ruling was of little real benefit since the average life span of an enslaved person in Canada at that time was 20 to 25 years of age. It is estimated that approximately 4,000 slaves were brought to Canada against their will. The first recorded enslaved person to arrive in Canada was a 6 year old boy named Olivier le Jeune from Madagascar in 1628. Most of the enslaved who came to Canada came from other British Colonies and the Americas.
It is well documented that many enslaved people in the U.S. escaped to freedom in Canada. Even with receiving their freedom, they still faced discrimination and segregation in Canada. While Canada had no formal laws, “unwritten” racist codes were still in place that promoted discrimination. While many slaves came to Canada, they did not always stay there permanently. Many returned to the U.S. after slavery was abolished in search of a better life and hoping to reconnect with family members and loved ones they had left behind.
This little know story about Canada needs to be told.
Sources:
http://www.metronews.ca/news/canada/2014/02/10/canadian-secret-slave-past.html
http://www.historymuseum.ca/virtual-museum-of-new-france/population/slavery/
Black Mail Blog 
February 12, 2017 at 1:37 pm
Reblogged this on Pearls Before Swine and commented:
Special Delivery. Did you know that Canada enslaved blacks too? We were scattered across the four corners of the Earth. Excellent History Lesson from the Blackmail4u Blog.
LikeLike
February 12, 2017 at 2:06 pm
Thank you for reposting and helping to spread the knowledge!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 13, 2017 at 2:04 am
Of course!
LikeLike
February 12, 2017 at 7:23 pm
It’s important to know that “Canada” did not exist as a self-governing political unit until 1867, and did not achieve independence from Britain until 1931. The British allowed slavery in her British North America holdings until 1833-34. I make this clarification because the Canadian colonials had no legislative authority to institute or abolish slavery.
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 12, 2017 at 7:38 pm
Yes. I am aware of this. Thank you got bringing this out though. The focus of the article was emphasize that there was slavery was present in what is now considered to be the country of Canada. It was first introduced by the French in.New France and continued with the British empire until it was abolished. Thanks for your feedback. I will update the blog post with more detail! While there was no legislative authority with the Canadian colonials. It remains an important part of history that is lesser known. Thank you for reading!
LikeLiked by 2 people
February 13, 2017 at 6:29 pm
Reblogged this on TiffanyRose Publishing.
LikeLike
February 14, 2017 at 1:01 pm
All these little corners still un-dusted. Recently I was reading a book concerning the 1745 rebellion in Scotland (Bonnie Prince Charlie etc), written by a Scottish historian. He supplied an interesting detail, part of the financing for the rebellion came from Irish business men involved in the then quite legal slave trade.
LikeLike
February 14, 2017 at 1:32 pm
Love the way you stated that! “So many corners undusted” Thanks for reading!
LikeLiked by 1 person
February 14, 2017 at 2:30 pm
Europe is full of cultures who like to preach how badly they were treated by other cultures without examining their own not so pristine pasts (that should get me into hot water with my fellow Celts).
LikeLiked by 1 person