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NS Archives document: "Bill of sale for slave 'Abram', recorded at the Colchester County Registry of Deeds" http://ow.ly/hgXiQ
In the 1760s, enslaved Africans arrived with Philadelphia Planters in the Pictou area and settled on what became known as the Philadelphia Grant. During World War I, Canadian Blacks were initially rejected at enlistment offices across the country. In response to protest, in July 1916 the Canadian military authorized the formation of the No. 2 Construction Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary
Force (CEF)—Canada’s only segregated Black unit.
Originally headquartered in Pictou, the Battalion was moved to Truro later that year. After Armistice on November 11, 1918, the unit returned from its tour of duty overseas. The No. 2 Construction Battalion was officially disbanded on September 3, 1920. The building that once housed the Battalion no longer remains. A monument commemorating this historic site was later erected. A ceremony paying tribute to these brave souls is held every year in the month of July at the deCoste Centre. The 20th anniversary of this event takes place in 2013.
Source:
African Nova Scotian Tourism Guide
Historical Black Settlements in Nova Scotia (Google Map)
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