Celebrations of Emancipation Day National Historic Event
Toronto, Ontario
Celebrations in Amherstburg, ON, 1894
(© Library and Archives Canada | Bibliothèque et Archives Canada / PA-163923)
Address :
Toronto, Ontario
Recognition Statute:
Historic Sites and Monuments Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. H-4)
Designation Date:
2023-03-15
Dates:
-
1834 to 1834
(Significant)
Other Name(s):
-
Celebrations of Emancipation Day
(Designation Name)
Research Report Number:
2022-04
Importance:
People of African descent in Upper and Lower Canada marked the abolition of enslavement in 1834 with organized celebrations that gave rise to annual events
Plaque(s)
Existing plaque: at St. James Cathedral’s Snell Hall St. James Cathedral’s Snell Hall, 106 King Street East, Toronto, Ontario
On August 1, 1834, people of African descent marked the end of more than 250 years of enslavement throughout the British Empire with organized celebrations. Nineteenth-century Emancipation Day events took place in what are now Ontario, Quebec, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and British Columbia, inspiring an annual tradition in Canada. Ancestors who had endured enslavement were honoured during community gatherings, parades, speeches, soirées, sporting events, musical performances, and fundraisers. These events were opportunities to strengthen Black communities, expose racism, fight for equality, and celebrate freedom.