We celebrated Emancipation Day 🤗🙏
On Sunday July 31, we welcomed our guest speaker, Dr. Rosemary Sadlier, Canada’s leading advocate for the observance of Emancipation Day.
Also, the dancer Shelly Ann McLeod, a well-known exponent of the art in Ontario, performed a special dance in honour of the day.
We thank all who joined us in celebrating this important day as well as the 51 Division police officers, Detective Alex Brooker, Detective Jeffrey Gough, and Detective Ralph Waugh.
To see more pictures of the best moments of the event and get to know more news, visit and follow us on Facebook and Instagram.
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You can find more information about Emancipation Day from the Anglican Church of Canada here: https://medium.com/ministrymatters/emancipation-day-august-1-a1b7b7d45c22
The Guest speaker was Dr. Rosemary Sadlier, President of the Ontario Black History Society (OBHS). She led the drive to have Black History Month recognized across Canada, working tirelessly to expand awareness and win official acknowledgement. Now both Black History Month in February and Emancipation Day on August 1 have been declared national events thanks to Sadlier, who was honoured with the Order of Ontario for her work.
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DID YOU KNOW?
The Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 ended slavery throughout most of the British Empire. As a result, the image of Canada as a safe haven for those enslaved in the United States was born. For example, in the most influential novel written about slavery at this time, Harriet Beecher Stowe’s Uncle Tom’s Cabin (1852), it is Canada that Eliza and George are trying to reach to escape the villainous overseer Simon Legree. Thousands of fugitive and free people would arrive on Canadian soil between 1834 and the early 1860s.
On the first anniversary of the Act in 1834, members of the African-Canadian population of Toronto paraded to the Cathedral for a special commemorative service. The tradition would continue for some 20 years. On March 24, 2021, the House of Commons voted unanimously to designate August 1 as Emancipation Day across the country. Emancipation Day celebrates the strength and perseverance of Black communities in Canada.
Canadians are not always aware that Black People were once enslaved on the land that is now Canada. Those who fought enslavement were pivotal in shaping our society to be as diverse as it is today. Therefore, each August 1, Canadians are invited to reflect, educate, and engage in the ongoing fight against anti-Black racism and discrimination.
Learn more about Emancipation Day here
