GUELPH – The Guelph Black Heritage Society (GBHS) is hosting its annual Emancipation Day celebration Aug. 1.
The GBHS celebrates Emancipation Day to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved people of African descent.
In 2008, Ontario officially declared Aug. 1 Emancipation Day in the province. In 2021 the Government of Canada voted unanimously to designate Aug. 1 as Emancipation Day across Canada.
The Emancipation Day “Freeing our Ancestors” event will be held at the Heritage Hall at 83 Essex Street, Guelph, starting at 3pm and going approximately until 6pm (suggested donation of $10 per person).
“Come celebrate with us and enjoy music, spoken word, dance and cultural foods. Activities will also include the Pan-African flag raising, ‘Freeing our Ancestors’ ceremony and blessing,” officials state.
“We will be “‘Freeing our Ancestors”’ to acknowledge the trauma and reflect on the devastations that our ancestors and our community continue to face and endure.”
The GBHS has received donations of a variety of items which are racist in nature including minstrel and blackface items. The “codifying of blackness” in blackface minstrelsy through specific makeup, language, and movement created a legacy of racial stereotypes.
Official say blackface “is an assertion of power and control; it allows a society to routinely and historically imagine Black individuals as not fully human. Blackface minstrel shows were once commonplace in Guelph.”
More information can be found at blackpastinguelph.com/wwi-and-jim-crow.
Activities at the Aug. 1 event will include:
– raising the Pan-African flag, will start- off the event.The Pan-African flag consists of three equal horizontal bands of (from top down) red, black and green and it is a symbol of Black liberation. Red is the colour of the blood that is shed for our redemption and liberty; black is the colour of the noble and distinguished race to which we belong; green is the colour of the luxuriant vegetation of our Motherland;
– dance to the music of DJ Jinx;
– learn traditional and modern African dance movements. Join Afro-Tribal as they demonstrate these dance movements. Using drumming, they step into the rich vein of African tribal moves from Sierra Leone, West Africa, Gambia, Nigeria, Ghana, etc.
The rhythm flows through every continent, transforming each culture it touches with the powerful and soulful movement of its vibrant people. The modern movements are done using today’s pop African artists such as P Square, Bracket, and Flavour;
– spoken word performance by Natalie-Ann Brown;
– learn Caribbean Dance Movements, Soca with The Kween Company. Celebrating Caribbean and African Culture combining soca, dancehall, and afro music to help get your body moving. This is a fast-moving, fun-cardio, ‘spiritual’ time to trace traditional dancehall steps bringing it into modern day soca while learning rhythmic moves;
– “Freeing our Ancestors” Ceremony and Blessing. Reflect on the devastations that have preceded us and celebrate the courage that allowed subsequent generations to embrace a freedom that many others could only dream;
– try a taste of the Caribbean with food from Big Jerk Smoke House and The Katering Group; and
– cool down with beverages from Laza Food and Beverage.
Proceeds from Emancipation Day Jamboree will go towards the Give a Cup Capital Campaign.
“The mission of the Give A Cup Campaign is freedom,” officials say.
“Free us from our mortgage so that we will be able to allocate additional resources towards our on going #ChangeStartsNow Education initiative.”
The initiative provides educational programming on Black history and culture as well as relevant resources on diversity, discrimination and anti-racism.
The GBHS is a registered charity. Tax receipts will be issued for donations greater than $25. Email info@guelphblackheritage.ca for information.
