‘Its an ongoing fight’: Community reflects on 15 years since Africville apology

The city of Halifax apologized to the historic community of Africville for tearing it down 15 years ago.

Monday marks 15 years since the city of Halifax offered an official apology to the former residents of Africville.

The historic African-Nova Scotian community was bulldozed in the 1960s.

It stood along the Bedford Basin for more than a century before the city forced people out for what they called an “urban renewal.”

On Feb. 10, 2010., former Halifax Mayor Peter Kelly spoke with those in attendance and said “you lost your homes, your church, all the places in which you gathered with your family and friends to share and mark the milestones of your lives. For all of that we apologize.”

Juanita Peters, the executive director with the Africville Museum, still remembers that day.

“Just looking at some of the former residents that were in the room at that time, and how emotional they became, because it was a long time coming,” says Peters.

She says in the last 15 years, a lot has been done in terms of strengthening partnerships with the city, but that there is still a long way to go.

She points out the building of an “interpretative centre,” a place in Africville where the community could gather.

“We know that the interpretive centre was one of the original promises by the city, and we’d like to see that happen too,” says Peters. “We have a lot of story left to be told, and so we’d love to start the work of getting that interpretive centre up and running.”

For Percy Paris, chair of the Africville Heritage Trust, that is something that should’ve been addressed.

“Fifteen years later, we’re still talking and there’s been no movement with respect to the interpretive centre, except on the side of the Black community,” says Paris.

While Paris acknowledges work has been done to get the word out about Africville, saying “Africville became a national Historic site, Africville is now a UNESCO designation, (and) they’ve got a replica of the church there,” he also says support is still needed from the municipality.

“We expect politicians to carry the torch no matter what the issue, no matter what the event, as long as right is right,” he says. “... and I feel that obligation hasn’t been fulfilled by the municipality, by HRM.”

Meanwhile, Peters says things like transportation into Halifax from Africville have still not been addressed, and that the descendants of those who once lived in Africville are still awaiting compensation.

“We still have people who lived in Africville who are still asking for reparations. That needs to be answered so that people can move forward in life,” says Peters.

At a council meeting on Tuesday, Halifax Mayor Andy Fillmore acknowledged work still needs to be done to ensure the community is a part of the city’s plans going forward.

“For example, major infrastructure projects like Cogswell, we have to be sure to include the voice of the Africville community in those decisions.”

Even with new faces and new leadership, many hope it won’t take another 15 years to move forward.

“For those of us in the Black community, it’s an ongoing fight,” says Paris.

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