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Black Lives Matter and its impact in Canada

Overview

A brief history of anti-Black racism in Canada

Slavery, Indentured Servitude & Abolition
Segregation
Resistance

The evolution of Black Lives Matter in Canada

Activity : Explore BLM Canada

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Underground Railroad: Beacon of light

Most of the time, if we learn about Black history in Canada, we only learn about the Underground Railroad.

What do you know about the Underground Railroad?

How is Canada depicted in stories of the Underground Railroad?

What do we learn about the lives enslaved Black folks led once they arrived in Canada?

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Slavery

Europeans enslaved thousands of Africans and Indigenous people in New France from the early 1600s until 1834, when slavery was abolished in what was then called British North America.
That means that slavery existed for over 200 years on lands we now refer to as Canada.
In New France, most enslaved people were from Indigenous tribes.
The translantic slave trade increased the use of enslaved African people.

European slavers saw their trade from a purely economic point of view: enslaved people were bought, sold, traded and inherited like “goods” or property, as they made money for their owners.
Slavers also viewed slavery in racial terms, with Indigenous and African people serving white people, who ruled as masters.
Though the number of slaves in New France and British North America did not come close to those in the United States, victims of slavery in what we now call Canada had no human rights, and often suffered horrible punishments for resisting or running away.

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Indentured servitude

This was when people signed a contract committing themselves to unpaid labour for a set number of years in exchange for food, transport and shelter.

Though it was still very cruel, this was different from slavery because at the end of their contracts, servants were free to go. They were not property.

However, once their contract was finished, many received no payments, so they sometimes had to sign another contract to survive, starting a cycle of poverty.

This existed alongside slavery, and often, if Black enslaved people were freed from slavery, they still had to work as indentured servants for several more years to “earn” their freedom.

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Abolition

In 1793, Upper Canada (now Ontario) passed the Anti-slavery Act.
This law freed enslaved people aged 25 and over and made it illegal to bring enslaved people into Upper Canada.
In 1833, The Slavery Abolition Act was passed, ending the transatlantic slave trade in Britain and the commonwealth and making enslavement officially illegal in every province.
Though the victims of slavery were now free, they did not have an easy road ahead of them, for segregation and discrimination would then be a part of everyday life.

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Segregation

Housing

Employment

Entertainment

Education

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Resistance

Viola Desmond

1914-1965

Civil rights activist
On November 8,1946, in Nova Scotia; Desmond requested a ticket for a seat at the Roseland Theatre on the main floor. However; she was given an upstairs ticket, which was reserved for non-white customers.
She was willing to pay extra but they refused.
Desmond took a seat on the main floor and declined to leave until she was dragged out the theatre by the police.
She can now be seen on the $10 bill.

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Resistance

Marie-Joseph Angélique

1705-1734

Was an enslaved Black woman owned by Thérèse de Couagne de Francheville in Montréal.
In 1734, she was charged with arson after a fire reached Montréal’s merchant’s quarter. They accused her of committing the act while trying to flee bondage.
She was convicted, tortured and at the age of 29; hanged.
It’s still a mystery whether she set the fire or not, but her story became a symbol of Black resistance and freedom.

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Resistance

Bromley Armstrong

1926-2018

Civil rights activist
In 1943, even wearing his military uniform; he was refused service in a restaurant in Dresden, Ontario.
When he wrote a letter of complaint to the the government, he was told that racial discrimination was not against the law in Canada.
Throughout his years, Armstrong continued fighting for equality and built many Black organizations.

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Resistance

Mary Ann Shadd

1823-1893

Educator, publisher and abolitionist
Was born in America but moved to Canada
First Black female newspaper publisher in Canada
Founded “The Provincial Freeman” a newspaper for African Canadians and Americans
Later in life, became the second African American woman in the United States to earn a law degree

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Evolution of Black Lives Matter in Canada

In Canada, the movement has:

Ensured a ban on police in uniform during the Pride parades in Toronto and Vancouver.
Forced changes to policing and a decrease in police budgets.
Shut down the Montreal Jazzfest.
Created opportunities for legal aid for immigration justice.
Is currently working on many projects to encourage art, education and has created fundraisers for BIPOC spaces.

Achievements of BLM in canada

#Blacklivesmatter started trending in 2013. After George Zimmerman, Trayvon Martin’s killer, was acquitted, Alicia Garza wrote her “Love Letter to Black Folks” which stated:

“We don’t deserve to be killed with impunity. We need to love ourselves and fight for a world where Black lives matter. Black people, I love you. I love us. We matter. Our lives matter.”

Shortly after, Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors and Opal Tometi created the official platforms and a website as a space for Black people to express their grief and rage, and promote healing.
BLM Canada started in 2014 in response to killing of Michael Brown. Sandy Hudson and Rodney Diverlus planned a vigil in Toronto

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Activity

Explore BLM Canada

As a group, explore the Black Lives Matter Canada website here.
Read through their “about us”, their list of demands, and resources.
Discuss:

Does anything surprise you?
What is your reaction to their list of demands? Do you feel defensive? Inspired?
What could your group advocate for?
What else do you want to know?