Black History in History 2710A

Canada Prior to Monday, March 15, 2021

Dr. Heather Stanley
Confederation
Black Historiography in Canada

• Black history currently having an overdue awakening in Canada

• recognition that Canada needs to come to terms with racist past
against Black persons
• can’t keep hiding behind myth that:
• a) there was no slavery in Canada  there was!
• b) because we were the end of the Underground Railroad that
Canada was some kind non-racist paradise for Black people 
it wasn’t!
Black Slavery in New France

• first Black people in what would become

Canada were likely slaves
• small numbers of slaves in New France BUT
different that the United States
• most worked as domestic servants or skilled
labourers or artisans  could even be hired out
• small numbers means less fear of retaliation
• less isolated from the rest of society
Black Slavery in
New France
• slavery regulated under French law  Code Noir
• gave some minor protections  wasn’t always
followed
• slaves have to be cared for
• women cannot be sexually exploited
• children can’t be separated from their parents until
after puberty
• slaves should be baptized in the Catholic Church
• Catholic Church was a major slave holder in its
own right
Black Slavery in
New France
• famous case of Marie-Joseph Angélique
• born into slavery in Portugal around 1705
• 1734 accused of setting her owner Madame Francheville’s
house on fire – sentenced and hanged for the crime
• had been sold already several times  inherited by Thérèse
Francheville as part of her husband’s estate
• worked mainly as a domestic
• had a previous relationship with an unnamed African slave and
had three children who all died in infancy
• later had a relationship with white indentured servant Claude
Thibault
 Black Slavery in New France

• M. Francheville decided to sell Angélique and Angélique heard about it  seems to have
thought that she was being send to the West Indies
• she and Thibault escape and run away together  Thibault likely posed as her owner
• but caught two weeks later and Angélique sent back to the Francheville house
• reportedly Angélique made threats against Francheville
Black Slavery in
New France
• fire started on morning of April 11
• burns down Francheville house and it spreads to
46 other houses
• a five year old child in the household she saw
Angélique carrying coals to the attic on the
morning of the fie
• Angélique confesses but it is under torture
• publicly hanged for her crime as an example to
other slaves
Black Loyalists and Refugees from the
American Revolutionary War

• Black former slaves who came to Canada were in a permanent state of

uncertainty about their status  constantly changing
• after New France is taken over by the British slavery remains in a grey
area
• Britain outlaws slavery in Britain in 1807
• allows slavery to continue in the empire until 1833  in part to keep the
Thirteen Colonies happy
Black Loyalists and Refugees from the
American Revolutionary War
• Britain did offer any slave who escaped and joined the Loyalist cause
their freedom
• BUT wasn’t really planned
• Black commanders reluctant to create a scheme where runaway slaves
became soldiers:
• believed the myth that black people were lazy and needed to be
made to work
• saw them as lesser humans and closer to beasts
• believed black men to be prone to violence unless controlled
• worried that if they trained and armed Black men they might turn
against them  common racist fear
• BUT in 1775 Lord Dunmore, Governor of Virginia needs more men so
makes that promise
• works so well for recruitment that the British military makes it
policy
• creates the Ethiopian Regiment  advertises “Liberty to Slaves”
on their uniforms
Black Loyalists and
Refugees from the
American
Revolutionary War
• rumour that Britain winning would mean the end of slavery in
North America BUT behind the propaganda the British had
never intended to stop slavery in the Thirteen Colonies before
the revolution  was just a military tactic
• many prominent Loyalist families owned large numbers of
slaves
• initially joining was only popular with unattached young men
 those with dependants didn’t want leave them behind
• 1779 Sir Henry Clinton the British Commander-in-Chief
proclaims that all slaves who come to the British would be freed
• wanted to recruit more men
• thought large numbers of slaves deserting would disrupt the
economy
 Black Loyalists and
Refugees from the
• slaves now could bring their dependents AND had
a place to run to American
• slaves made their way to the British forces in large
numbers  estimates about 100,000 or 1/5 of the Revolutionary War
enslave population made the journey
• freeman also joined in part because of rumour that
the British would end slavery
• most men join the militia and the women work as
laundresses, cooks, and other support services
• had varied experiences due to lack of coherent
policy
• some found themselves re-enslaved as servants to
officers, to community or to Loyalists as
compensation
 Black Loyalists and Refugees from the
American Revolutionary War
• problem is that the British have made promises they can’t always keep because the Americans are demanding the return of their
“property”
• some are lucky and have already departed  the British then just pay compensation
• others are made to wait to settle the ownership disputes
• all remaining former slaves recorded in the Book of Negros
• recorded by Commander-in-Chief Guy Carleton
• listed name, general description, former master, claims to freedom, destination, ship name and any military service
• then owners could look at the list and challenge any of the entries
 Black Loyalists and Refugees from the
American Revolutionary War
• only 14 challenges because:
• many of the former slaves had left already
• many were deemed ineligible to be included in the book  had
to have been with the British for at least 12 months  those had
to go back
• general chaos and confusion
• 2 cases decided for slaves
• 9 for owners
• 3 unknown
• many thought being in the book meant they were seen as
Loyalists and get compensation but only 3000 Black Americans
would be given Loyalist status
• the Book of Negros is still on of the earliest and most complete
documents in Black Canadian history
Black Loyalists and Refugees from the
American Revolutionary War
• only 3,000 get actual Loyalist status  supposed to get a no fee land grant
• almost all end up in Nova Scotia with 30,000 white Loyalists and 1,500 slaves belonging to white Loyalists
• swamped Nova Scotia’s infrastructure
• unofficial policy to deal with the claims of who lost the most first  puts the Black Loyalist at the back of the line
• have to wait so long in 1792 about 1,200 Black Loyalists chose to be resettled in Sierra Leon
• those who got their grant were usually given unusable and/or almost unreachable land
• many didn’t get any grants and are recorded as having bought their home sites
• very segregated from white settlers  created Black enclaves
 • delays in Black Loyalist compensation
Black Loyalist and benefited elite white Loyalists because they
Refugees from the provided a labour pool to get them
established
American Revolutionary • many remained in Halifax working as
War servants and labourers
Black Loyalists and Refugees from the
American Revolutionary War
• slaves in Nova Scotia
• about 1,500 total slaves recorded as going to Nova Scotia  likely more because many Loyalists
listed them as “servants” or “servants for life”
• primarily used for hard labour in clearing new land, planting, building homes
• many expanded the infrastructure of the city of Halifax
• BUT many found that they didn’t need so many slaves in British North America after the initial
work
• turned them out
• sometimes went back and collected them later only to sell them again
• sent them to other slave holding nations e.g. John Wentworth gifts his slaves to cousin Paul and sends them to Dutch
Guiana
• slavery remains a reality into the 1790s and of the rules from the Thirteen Colonies remained in force
Black Loyalists and Refugees from the
American Revolutionary War

• relations between free Black folks and slaves

• very different from the Thirteen Colonies in that there was a lot mixing between free and
enslaved Black folks
• annoyed white Loyalists because it disrupted their ideal of Black skin = slave
• angered free Black folks to see the situation
• forced their wages down because it was still believed Black labour should be free and
competition
• Black settler enclaves like Birchtown took in runaway slaves and hid them  angered
white Loyalists
 • first race riot against the Black enclave of Shelburne County
• started on July 26, 1784
• poorer white labourers were in competition with Black
labourers for work as they wait for their compensation
packages
• white labourers angry because they see Black workers as
driving their wages down
• white labourers attacked Black community leaders including
Baptist preacher David George
• they pulled down Black houses and beat Black residents and
white allies
• tensions only die down when the Sierra Leon migration
happens

Black Loyalists and Refugees from the

American Revolutionary War
Black Persons and the
War of 1812
• slaves who run away and join the British forces are given freedom again 
4000 total
• about 2000 are settled in Nova Scotia  very clear this time that these are
refugees
• most try to find work as labourers and domestic servants BUT many end up
in the poor house  places designed to punish the poor  last resort
• hard to find work due to racism and abundant white labour
• many die of disease though somewhat successful program to inoculate
refugees from smallpox
 Black Persons and the War of 1812
• the fact that the government continued to aid the refugees fanned the racists flames  many white Nova Scotians
for their own hardships
• blamed them as being a “drain on charity”
• constant victimization of black people ranging from public whippings to everyday aggressions
• small movements towards abolishing slavery  seen as unchristian and inhuman
• DOES NOT mean racism is ending  just the idea of owning humans that is becoming less popular
• 1833 Britain finally abolishes slavery throughout most of the empire and the last slaves in Canada are finally freed
• only about 50 enslaved persons left at that point
Conclusions

• the idea that Canada was a place free of slavery or a racism paradise free for
Black folks is a complete myth
• just because Canada wasn’t a slave based economy like the United States
doesn’t mean slavery didn’t happen here
• Britain consistently broke its promises of freedom/aid to Black slaves who
helped them in conflicts like the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812
• even when they did keep their promises they did so unevenly
• racism was a constant day-to-day experience for Black folks
• Canada’s Black history has to focus on the tenacity of Black Canadians rather
than false history