Black Loyalist Heritage Society member Richard Gallon walks from the Black Loyalist Heritage Museum in Halifax, N.S.

By True Daley

The oldest incorporated city in Canada won’t apologize for its treatment of Black Loyalists who fought for King George III in the American Revolution.

Some 1,500 African-Americans found their way to New Brunswick, a colony created in 1784 to accommodate the Loyalists. They were promised good land in the St. John River area and three years’ worth of food supply. That wasn’t the case when they arrived.

According to a 1785 decree, Blacks were banned from selling any goods within city limits, couldn’t vote concerning any city business, and it was illegal for them to fish out of St. John River’s harbour.

This year, St. John is celebrating the 225th anniversary of its royal charter, which only recognized white loyalists as free citizens.

David Peters is a co-founder of Pride, Race, Unity, Dignity, Education (PRUDE), a cultural organization in New Brunswick. He says despite being ostracized, there was a positive outcome for these war heroes. “There’s never a dark cloud that doesn’t have a silver lining,” he says. “The kingdom had just been at war for seven years. They had to open poor houses because King George III could not back them financially. What saved the Black people when they were kicked out of the city was that they had to mingle with the natives, who showed them how to put up with winter, how to hunt and how to build lodging. The negativity of the charter saved most of our Black lives.”

PRUDE has been requesting a royal apology on behalf of the Black Loyalists for the inhumane treatment they were forced to endure, despite their sacrifices for the rights and freedoms of Canadians. These requests have been rejected by St. John mayor, Ivan Court, the Governor General, and Her Majesty The Queen. The group has also been given the run-around and referred from one government official to another. To date, no letter of apology has been received and there’s been no indication that there ever will be one.

Peters says it’s up to all Canadians, but especially the Black community, to hold our government accountable: “A good 70 per cent of Black Canadians in this country can trace their heritage to the Black Loyalists,” he says, “and if they’re going to live with themselves at all, we would like them to ask our Governor General’s office why an apology for the first royal charter was not given.”

Befriend Sway on Facebook

Sway with us on Twitter