Underground Railroad festival Aug. 7

A music festival will be held in the park here in honour of the Under­ground Railroad and the Black pioneers of the Queen’s Bush Settlement 

The event takes place on Aug. 7 from 1 to 4pm

The second festival launch­ed in honour of the Under­ground Railroad and early black pioneer’s of the Queen’s Bush settlement, is a project headed by singer-songwriter Diana Braithwaite,  who started the festival in 2009 as a tribute to the lives of those men and women who first settled in the area.

Diana’s mother, Rella Ayle­stock Braithwaite, at 87, is one of the eldest descendants of the Queen’s Bush Pioneers. The Queen’s Bush land located north of Waterloo Township and south of Lake Huron, was the largest black settlement in the region, and the place where hundreds of fugitives escaping slavery made their new home. 

This year’s activities are another step in a long-term plan for the festival by Braithwaite.  

“I have many ancestor’s buried in the cemeteries and several of my great, great, great aunts and uncles lived and farmed near to Glen Allan, so this area is rich with both local history and family ties,” she said. “Each year the festival presents a new facet of musical and artistic celebration.  

For more information contact Diana Braithwaite at: Black Pioneer Descendant’s of the Wellington Historical Society 416-857-4951 or dianabraithwaite@yahoo.ca.

Special thanks to Ontario Black History Society, Mapleton Township, Rella Braith­waite, Wellington Coun­ty Historical Society, Map­leton Historical Society, Harriet Tubman Centre and the friends and volunteers of Black Pio­neer Descendants of Well­ing­ton County Historical Society.

Everyone attending is asked to bring lawnchairs.  All are welcome.

 

Comments