Africville
Africville Park, Africville Road, Halifax, NS, Canada

This African Nova Scotian village was founded in the 18th century in the north end of Halifax. When slaves of African descent were building the city of Halifax, the Black community lived a few kilometres north of the town in an area known as Africville. 

Africville represents the systemic and institutional racism that exists throughout Canadian history. The city collected taxes in Africville but did not provide essential services such as paved roads, running water or sewers. In 1854, 1912, and in the 1940s, railway extension projects cut through the village, leaving several homes destroyed and confiscated. In the 19th century, the city placed “undesirable services” in Africville like fertilizer plants, slaughterhouses, a prison, and an infectious diseases hospital. Even in the first half of the 20th century, municipalities failed to provide public transportation, garbage collection, and adequate police service.

For these discriminatory actions and negligences, in 2010, the mayor of the Halifax Regional Municipality apologized. Africville represents the oppression faced by many Black Canadians.