During the American Revolution, the British government promised free land, provisions, political freedom, and religious liberty to Blacks who would move behind British lines. At the end of the war, 3500 Blacks took up the British offer to move to its colonies in Canada. Nearly two-thirds of these emigrants came from the Southern Colonies, the rest from the Middle Colonies of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York. Prior to their departure, each was issued a document known as a "freedom certificate" certifying eligibility to embark.
The majority of Black Loyalists were transported between April and September 1783. Their destinations in Nova Scotia included Brindley Town, Chedabucto, Little Tracadie, Preston, Halifax, Annapolis, Liverpool, McNutt's Island, Shelburne, Port Mouton, and Birchtown. Birchtown became the largest and most influential Free Black community in the region, and reportedly the largest outside Africa during the period. In New Brunswick, destinations included areas on Nerepis Creek, at Milkish Creek and at Quaco.
When the Freedom Schooner Amistad appears at the entrance of Shelburne harbour on Friday, it will signify the beginning of a weekend of events celebrating the 225th anniversary of the arrival of the Black lLoyalists in Nova Scotia. It will be a homecoming of sorts too, for on board will be sisters Haley and Nina Cox, former residents of Shelburne who have been serving as volunteer crew members with the vessel as it completes the Atlantic Freedom Tour, a 14,000-mile (23,000-km) transatlantic voyage to Great Britain, Lisbon, West Africa, and the Caribbean to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the Atlantic Slave Trade in Britain (1807) and the United States (1808).
As I write this, we're getting ready to get off the dock in Halifax. We've been up here to participate in the Africvile reunion and the 25 anniversary of the landing of the Black Loyalists, and have had a great time here over the past 2 weeks or so.
In a few minutes, we'll turn to and get ready to pick up or pilot, who'll guide us down the channel and out of Halifax Harbor. Next stop is Shelburne, on Nova Scotia's south coast. It's abut 100 miles away, and we have 72 hours to get there. We're looking forward (barring unforeseen circumstances) to a nice leisurely cruise down there, arriving on Friday for a parade of sail into the harbor. If you're in the area, come on down and watch.
Each of the showings will be held in the Maritime Museum Theatre, at 1675 Lower Water St. in Halifax.
Wednesday evening, July 30, at 7:00pm
Thursday evening, July 31, at 7:00pm.
Traces of the Trade had its world premiere as an Official Competition Selection in the 2008 Sundance Film Festival. and its national, United States broadcast television premiere on the PBS award-winning independent documentary series P.O.V. on Tuesday, June 24
Each evening, after the showing, a discussion of the film and its implications will be moderated by Wayne Bartow, who was one of the shipwrights involved in building the Amistad replica and is a member of the Board of Trustees for Amistad America.
Freddy Shabaka is a recording artist from Freetown, Sierra Leone, who is now based in the Washington DC area. He recently released a new CD called "The Black Loyalists" that is getting radio play and some interest in the U.S.A. You can visit his website to hear the music and also see the video "Black Loyalists".
Freddy is a Creole from Sierra Leone with a mission to help tell the story of his people who descended from the Black Loyalists and became the founders of Freetown in Sierra Leone.
Two years ago, three African Nova Scotian teenagers sailed aboard Freedom Schooner Amistad from Halifax to Portland, Maine.
Julian Colley, and Courtney Williams from East Preston, and Brandon Tolliver from Coal Harbour became the heroes of a short video documentary that was aired by the CBC in September 2006. This video quickly became the most popular clip on Amistad's YouTube Channel as well as one of the most popular Tall Ship clips.
I would love to meet them again. Please help me trace my Nova Scotian sailing buddies; watch the video and maybe you will recognize them. Where are they now?
Please leave your hints as a comment below. Please do not post any phone numbers or addresses. If you know them, please
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
.
Captain Bill Pinkney, Master Emeritus of the Freedom Schooner Amistad and Wayne Bartow, a Trustee of AMISTAD America Inc., and one of the schooner builders, were participating in the celebrations at Africville during the last day of the 25th Annual Africville Reunion Festival organized by Africville Genealogical Society. Visiting Halifax during the time of the Africville Reunion is becoming a tradition for Amistad - it is the third year in a row when we could enjoy the hospitality and friendship of Nova Scotians. Freedom Schooner Amistad passed several times along the Africville shore in the early afternoon on Sunday, July 27th, the last day of the Reunion. AMISTAD America and Africville Genealogy Society hope to continue the cooperation in the future.
Bill Pinkney and I decided to found a Fan Club for Shelley Hamilton after hearing her singing two nights ago. Shelley was invited by Joe Sealy to participate as vocalist in his Africville Suite Concert. That night we saw a stunning jazz diva...her voice enchanted both of us, and I am sure we were not alone with those feelings in the packed Neptune Theatre in downtown Halifax.
Tonight Shelley Hamilton proved to be a supreme chameleon. Somehow she managed to transform her glamorous looks into dramatic roles of an Africville teacher and a real slave - Lydia in "A New Hope", a one-woman play based on the historical accounts of John Clarkson's mission to improve the conditions of the Black Loyalists in Nova Scotia and organizing the fleet that departed to Sierra Leone in 1792.
Shelley, through the voices of the characters from the past, told us of their hardships and hopes for a better life. She presented the skills of those dramatic performers who are often revered for their 'range' - actors blessed with the talent to become various characters on stage not just to play them. Within a few seconds, Shelley, by removing her shoes and wrapping herself in an apron, was changing herself on stage from a warm Africville mother and teacher into Lydia Jackson, a battered and abused women from 225 years ago.
Listen to Captain Bill Pinkney's recommendation recorded just two hours after we left the tent where Shelley Hamilton performed her magic on an improvised stage in Seaview Park...excuse me, in Africville!
You can still see the play!
Don't miss the following performances of A New Hope by Shelley Hamilton in Halifax:
Tuesday, July 29th - 7:30 p.m. at Maritime Museum of Atlantic
Wednesday, July 30th - 7:00 p.m. at Bus Stop Theatre
Thursday, July 31st - 7:00 p.m. at Black Cultural Centre.
Nova Scotia is playing host to royalty from Ghana this week. Barima Kwame Nkyi XII, an Omanhene or paramount chief, is participating in the 25th Anniversary of the Africville Homecoming Reunion. He is visiting the province with a delegation that includes his tribe's Queen Mother and Prince.
The whole entourage paid a visit today to Freedom Schooner Amistad. The Amistad Incident of 1839 was presented to them by Captain Bill Pinkney - Master Emeritus of Amistad. The story resonated with the Chief - within his region is the river where kidnapped and shackled Africans had the last opportunity to wash before being inspected, categorized and forced to board slave ships bound for North America.
The Prince performed a traditional libation on Amistad's deck of. Amistad's only current Sierra Leonean crew member, John Kamara, on behalf of AMISTAD America, thanked distinguished guests for coming.
Visiting the Freedom Schooner Amistad was a part of a rich program hosted by the Africville Genealogy Society in Halifax. Most reunion events are being held at Seaview Park on the former site of a black community razed by the city in the late 1960's as part of an urban renewal plan. To learn more about Africville check the photographic collection "Gone but Never Forgotten"
Open contest for all history and social science fans.
Showcase your knowledge and ideas...
Use your knowledge of the Amistad Incident of 1839 and History of Black Loyalists in Nova Scotia and connections between both.
Below, write a comment about your own Amistad experience...
What we learned visiting various ports during the 2007/2008 Atlantic Freedom Tour was that there are many lessons from the Amistad story that can be applied locally, wherever we docked...
Freedom Schooner Amistad is, once again, docked in the heart of Halifax.
Is she, for you, Nova Scotians, just another pretty tall ship, like so many others coming to your beautiful province?
What do you think about our visits?
What would you suggest for our future visits? Add your comments below...we will choose and reward the most interesting.
Port Visits 
Bill Pinkney
Nova Scotia is playing host to royalty from Ghana this week. Barima Kwame Nkyi XII, an Omanhene or paramount chief, is participating in the 25th Anniversary of the Africville Homecoming Reunion. He is visiting the province with a delegation that includes his tribe's Queen Mother and Prince. 
