1749 - Halifax
Some black people also  enslaved in the province prior to and after the founding of Halifax in 1749 by Lord Cornwallis, who had slaves of his own.  Documents indicate servants and runaways were in the area; "Slave Sale" advertisements and "Wanted Slave" posters are evidence of this.

Black refugees
1812-1816
In 1812, the war between Britain and the United States of Americabegan. After the war ended in 1814, approximately 2,000 Black refugees,loyal to Britain, were evacuated via Washington (Chesapeake Bay), to Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. This arrival had a number of complications and eventually they were left to provide for their own existence after much of the land distribution was unfairly divided. However, through it all they survived and prospered. The largest settlements were established in Preston, Hammonds Plains, Beechville, Africville, Lucasville and Sackville areas. The majority of African-Nova Scotians today are descendants from this group. Some popular Nova Scotian family names include Carvery, Smith, Crawley, Diggs, Wyse, Grant, Cromwell, Bunny, Johnson,  Saunders, Sparks, Boyds, Beals and Downey.

Black Pioneers

Black pioneers came to Nova Scotia in two major migrations, 1783 and 1813, from the Thirteen British Colonies which became the United States of America. Most Black Pioneers came to Nova Scotia by ship. 1500 Black Pioneers landed at Port Roseway, now Shelburne. Black Pioneers arriving in 1813 landed at the busy port of Halifax and at Annapolis Royal.

 In Nova Scotia we also have a Black Cultural Center. In this center black students and even white students can learn more about the slavery and there culture. The Black Cultural Center has all differrent people, places and events that have contributed to our history, like for instance the picture above of the missonares from Yarmouth N.S. The people who visit this Centre in Dartmouth Nova scotia can become more aware of what happened in the 18th century and even in the forties, fifties and sixties. The cultural center was opened in 1983. The center also has plays, music, actives, and exhibitions.