Marjorie-Ann Knight says she seen Emancipation Day celebrations participating in different close by communities however by no means in Cambridge and needed to see that change.
Knight co-founded Rhythm and Blues Cambridge in 2018 with the intention to coach and have fun Black historical past. The group’s mission is to supply a protected and fascinating area to empower, inform and encourage the Black group in Cambridge.
On Tuesday, the group will host its inaugural Emancipation Day celebrations Tuesday at Civic Sq. outdoors Cambridge’s Metropolis Corridor.
“We’re right here. We’ve constructed our properties right here, our kids go to high school right here. We have to construct a group right here,” Knight instructed CBC Information in an interview.
“We’ve a big group of Caribbean and African folks right here, and also you wouldn’t know as a result of while you’re going to have fun, everyone strikes to Toronto,” Knight stated.
“And I simply stated, ‘sufficient is sufficient of that.’”
Kids’s space, historical past nook
The day will function a Pan-African flag elevating ceremony, a kids’s space in collaboration with Thought Change, meals vans and extra.
There might be performances from Toronto’s Caribana Arts group, the Fiyah Brigade Rhythm Part, and Waterloo-based eKhaya.
Native historian Peggy Plet might be internet hosting a historical past nook. She’s been researching Black presence in Cambridge, Knight stated.
Engaged on our Emancipation Day show at Cambridge Metropolis Corridor<a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/rhythandbluescambridge?src=hash&ref_src=twsrcpercent5Etfw”>#rhythandbluescambridge</a><a href=”https://twitter.com/hashtag/celebrateemancipationmonth?src=hash&ref_src=twsrcpercent5Etfw”>#celebrateemancipationmonth</a> <a href=”https://t.co/4zUvxSD6tl”>pic.twitter.com/4zUvxSD6tl</a>
—@KnightmjaKnight
“Individuals don’t even know we had a Black church in Cambridge and this was again within the 1800s,” Knight stated.
“We discovered barbers, we discovered individuals doing all types of commerce there and Peggy is able to speak to anyone about that.”
Emancipation in Canada
Emancipation Day marks the day in 1834 that the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 really got here into impact throughout the British Empire. In March of 2021, the Home of Commons unanimously agreed to designate Aug. 1 because the official day for celebration.
Canada’s Emancipation Day isn’t solely a celebration for the liberty of Black slaves, however Indigenous slaves, too.
Between the mid-seventeen lots of and Emancipation Day, it was recorded there have been 4,185 enslaved individuals. Of that quantity, 2,683 had been enslaved Indigenous Peoples, in response to the Authorities of Canada web site.
The Guelph Black Heritage Society won’t be internet hosting their annual Emancipation Day celebrations this yr, as they’ve determined to focus their summer season programming on youth and seniors.
Guelph Black Heritage Society president Denise Francis stated that they’re encouraging individuals to attend the celebrations in Cambridge this yr.
The Cambridge celeebrations are scheduled to run from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.