Emancipation Day Gathering
Please join Heritage Haldimand in celebrating the fourth annual Emancipation Day.
The Emancipation Day Gathering will take place Friday, August 1, 2025, 6:00-8:00 pm, at the Canfield Community Hall, 50 Talbot Road, Canfield.
Doors open at 5:30 pm and the program begins at 6:00 pm.
Emancipation Day recognizes the date in 1834 when the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 came into effect, ending slavery throughout the British Empire, including what is now Canada. The day serves as an opportunity to reflect on the history of slavery in Canada, acknowledge the contributions of Black Canadians and address ongoing systemic anti-Black racism.
The August 1st Emancipation Day Gathering, celebrates and reflects upon Haldimand County’s important Black history. The highlight of the evening will be a presentation by historian Rochelle Bush, owner and primary guide of St. Catharines-based Tubman Tours Canada, and a descendent of the first Black settler to Haldimand County, Samuel Cooper. Ms. Bush will focus on the stories of the Street and Cooper families.
