Black Business Initiative

The BBI is committed to growing a Black presence in a diverse range of business sectors including high-tech, manufacturing, tourism , and the cultural sector. Source: http://www.bbi.ca

Ernie Simmonds III Ministry Centre

Africa Festival of Arts and Culture Society

The mission of AFACS is to encourage and foster successful exposure and community awareness of African arts and culture in Nova Scotia. AFACS is a cultural society that strives to provide enabling environment that will encourage the promotion of African arts and culture for all people of African descent residing in Nova Scotia. Source: afacs.org

Council on African Canadian Education, CACE

The Council on African Canadian Education (CACE) The Council on African Canadian Education (CACE) is the outgrowth of the Black Learners Advisory Committee (BLAC). Formed in 1990, the BLAC was the response to ongoing struggles of African Nova Scotians to eliminate racism and receive equity in education. In order to fulfill its mandate, the BLAC released a comprehensive study in December 1994. Encompassing 46 recommendations, the report was entitled the BLAC Report on Education – Redressing Inequity, Empowering Black Learners. One of the primary recommendations stated that the BLAC have its status modified to a provincial advisory council. In January 1996, the Nova Scotia Legislature formalized this recommendation and CACE came into being. Recommendation #1 of the BLAC Report states that: The Minister of Education elevate the Black Learners’ Advisory Committee to a Council on African Canadian Education to monitor and continually analyze the policies of the Department of Education with respect to the needs of Black learners and educators; to develop a partnership with senior education administrators and as a mechanism for enhancing the status and functions of the BLAC vis-a-vis local school boards and post-secondary educational institutions. Source: http://www.cace.ns.ca/

East Preston Empowerment Academy

EPEA began as a traditional Adult Learning Programme, and was then expanded to include a preparation course for the Graduate Equivalency Diploma (GED) Exam. In 2016, we expanded to include a Trade Apprenticeship Program, the EPEA Pathways Initiative, in which we train tradespeople to qualify for Red Seal Certification with the Nova Scotia Apprenticeship Agency (NSAA). Additionally, we have added a youth academic enrichment component.

African Heritage Month Information Network

The African Heritage Month Information Network (AHMIN) produces an educational poster that is distributed and displayed across the province in community gathering centers, schools, churches, government offices and businesses. Those interested in a copy of the poster can visit www.bccns.com/ahmposter to order in advance.

Africville

NS Archives: Africville online exhibit http://ow.ly/hg35O Africville was settled in about the 1840s by people from the Black Refugee communities of Hammonds Plains and Preston. William Brown Sr and William Arnold purchased the land in 1848; the first church congregation (later Seaview African United Baptist) was established in 1849; and an elementary school was opened in 1883. Although geographically a part of the City of Halifax, Africville was always a separate community, with a largely African-Nova Scotian population. Africville struggled for survival throughout its 125-year history. It was divided by railway tracks and encroached upon by factories, sewage disposal pits, slaughter houses, and other non-residential development. The elementary school was closed in 1953 and the children were relocated to racially-integrated schools elsewhere in Halifax. In the mid-1950s, Halifax moved its large open civic dump to within one-half mile of Africville. The City considered Africville to be a suitable site for eventual industrial development, and did not extend water, sewer, police, and other municipal services to the community. In October 1962, the City decided to eliminate Africville and relocate its residents elsewhere in Halifax. The relocation was part of a broader program of "urban renewal" in Halifax, as in other North American cities, in the 1960s. The process of relocating Africville residents began in 1964; the demolition of the community was largely completed by the end of 1967. In early January 1970 the City bulldozed the building of the last Africville resident, who reluctantly agreed to sell his property to avoid expropriation. The land on which Africville stood is now part of Seaview Memorial Park, named in memory of Seaview African United Baptist Church. Africville was designated a national historic site in 1996 and a plaque was placed at the site in 2002. Source: African Nova Scotian Tourism Guide Historical Black Settlements in Nova Scotia (Google Map)

Indigenous Blacks & Mi'kmaq Initiative

The Indigenous Blacks & Mi'kmaq (IB&M) Initiative at the Schulich School of Law was established in 1989 to increase representation of Indigenous Blacks and Mi'kmaq in the legal profession in order to reduce discrimination. Source: https://www.dal.ca