Understanding African Canadian History Through the Lens of Emancipation Day: 190 Years and Counting
DATE:
September 16th (Zoom presentation)
Topic:
This year marks the 190th Emancipation Day. The occasion recognizes the legal abolition of slavery in most of the British empire, including Canada, where the last remains of enslavement were nearing the end through gradual abolition.
Dr. Natasha Henry-Dixon will discuss the history of the commemoration of Emancipation Day in Canada and walk through what this cultural and political tradition illuminates about Black history in Canada.
Speaker:
Natasha Henry-Dixon is an assistant professor of African Canadian History at York University. The 2018 Vanier Scholar is researching the enslavement of Black people in colonial Ontario. Her publications include Emancipation Day: Celebrating Freedom in Canada (June 2010), Talking about Freedom: Celebrating Freedom in Canada (2012), a number of youth-focused titles, and several entries for the Canadian Encyclopedia on African Canadian history. Through her various professional, academic, and community roles, Natasha’s work is grounded in her commitment to research, collect, preserve, and disseminate the histories of Black Canadians.