Winnipeg, Manitoba
On August 4th, 2023 we celebrated Emancipation Day in downtown Winnipeg at the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR). There was a sensitivity and a shared connection in the air, humbling but supportive, almost empowering. It was a fun Friday evening, leaving me with immense hope and inspiration.
What is Emancipation Day?
“On Emancipation Day, we recognize and celebrate the remarkable contributions that people of African descent, and all those who were subjected to slavery or suffered from its enduring impacts, have made to Canada. From science, business and law, to sport, art and entertainment, Black communities have and continue to make significant contributions to the fabric of our country." said Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada.
A little history
August 1 marks the very first Emancipation Day in Canada, the day on which the Slavery Abolition Act started back in 1834. It's a day that recognizes the end of slavery across the ancient British Empire.
During the mid 1500s, thousands then millions of Africans started being traded and enslaved across the British colonies, including, the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, South America, and South Africa. This went on until 1834 when the trade finally got abolished.
Starting 2015, the world was invited to celebrate the shared heritage, diverse culture, and profound influence of Africans and the global African diaspora. For the past decade, people of African descent were being recognized, according to the International Decade proclaimed by the UN. The International Decade seeks to advance social justice and inclusion policies, promote human rights, and eradicate racism.
On March 24, 2021, the Canadian members of parliament voted to officially recognize August 1 as Emancipation Day in Canada. It is a holiday, not just a celebration but a moment to reflect collectively.
The province of Manitoba didn't officially adopt the legislation and make it a holiday until October 2021. In comparison, the Nova Scotia legislature passed the Emancipation Day Act in April 2021.
About the event - Celebrations at the CMHR
The Emancipation Day celebration was held on Friday August 4th because it was better timing than August 1st which fell on a Tuesday this year. The reception was set for 6 pm and the main program for 6:30 pm.
The Canadian Museum for Human Rights located at 85 Israel Asper Way, Winnipeg, hosted the event. You could see in the carefully planned program and guestlist the amount of effort the event organizer, Black History Manitoba, put into this special evening. This year's turn out was almost three times bigger than last year's I heard.
The event was simply packed with cultural value for attendants, from the carefully selected drinks, appetizers and live music at the reception, to the art vendors along the hallway leading you into Buhler Hall, to the unsurpassed guest speakers, and the entertainment throughout the evening.
It was my first time attending an Emancipation Day celebration. Although I have attended many colonialism-themed talks and debates in Africa through organizations like the African Union, different embassies or even just in high school and primary school. Colonialism and slavery are a common topic of conversation in Africa and Europe. So I knew what awaited me going in.
It's still sort of a new conversation in Canada, at least in the political public sphere, although you will find independent groups and individuals who have been fighting for change every single day for a long time.
Keynote Speakers
I didn't get to stay for the whole event but I got to hear some amazing speeches, and most importantly, the panel discussion.
Host
Natalie Bell a was our lovely host for the evening.
Black History Manitoba President
Mavis Mclaren shared interesting historical facts and anecdotes about the Afro descents in Canada.
Acomi President
Titi Tijani was a dynamic and inspiring speaker. She shared a lot of African proverbs from Ghana.
CHMR's Vice‐President, People, Culture and Growth
Kimberley Levasseur Puhach was moving and able to connect with the audience emotionally through sharing more of her own lived experience.
Deputy Mayor for City of Winnipeg
Markus Chambers, the first black city councillor, and first elected black politician in the province, back in 2018. He is a phenomenal speaker, always inspiring the youth to aim higher in life.
On the panel:
Jamie Moses, Member of the Manitoba Legislative Assembly (MLA) for St.Vital
Uzoma Asagwara, Member of the Manitoba Legislative Assembly (MLA) for Union Station.
Credits:
The featured Image (Cover Image) is from Black History Manitoba's Instagram.
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