Africville Museum — Attraction in Halifax

It's Canada's best kept secret that illustrates the horrors of racism, marginalization and hypocrisy in the name of urban redevelopment, community improvement and progress. I was so shocked by what I came to learn about the residents of Africville that it's taken me a few days to process before writing this review. Imagine citizens who paid taxes but never received basic services afforded to them by their government. The same government allowed their area to fall into a state of disrepair and decided instead of fixing the wrong, first tear down their church in the middle of the night, then their homes. To add insult to injury, they move the now displaced people into government housing. The reasoning? It was declared unsafe and it would be better for all the residents of Africville (who were Black btw) to live elsewhere so that they could "improve" the area through urban redevelopment. Can you believe this happened only a generation ago in the 1960's? This museum came about after decades of demanding an apology and for the government to right the wrong done to the people in Africville. They got an apology all right but only 2.5 acres of the 500 acres back to rebuild the church that was torn down and no extra funding to maintain or expand upon it. It's even very difficult to get to when it shouldn't. If ever you visit Halifax this is a museum you should see to remind us that we need to see each other as human beings and choose to do what is right in the eyes of God instead of what is expedient or convenient, glossing over the wrong with pretty words and...

This is a little museum which performs the history of the ever Africville community. There was a close-knit black people community with harmony. Similar with other African Canadian communities in the last century, the community were quite self-sufficient and isolated. Former residents recalled that they used to see kids laughing in the neibour. There were many little vegetable gardens, and residents often did amateur fishermen to enrich their dinner tables. It wasn't rare to see the residents off works from Halifax. Community dwellers had a good time with their neighbours. However, the bad city planning project destoried the peace and relocated the residents at the end of 1960s. There were some reports demonstrated drawbacks and poor conditions about the Africville as a residential land. Therefore, the HRM municipality decided to turn the land to industrial park to promote the local economy. Therefore, houses getting destruction, the Africville became a ruin. People from other communities were no longer to see the Africville with harmony. It's regretting for the former residents to recall the time which they grew up and enjoyed living in the Africville community, though there is a picnic party each year in July to memorize the age. Overall, the municipal officials might make an incorrect deed. There used to be an active and live community which was filled with plain...

Visiting Africville in Halifax was an incredibly humbling experience for me amd my wife. As we walked the grounds, we were deeply moved by the realization that I was treading on the same earth where some of my ancestors once lived, worked, and fought for their right to exist with dignity. Africville, though now a symbol of resilience and the struggle for equality, was once a thriving Black community that was unjustly dismantled. Standing there, We felt a profound connection to the past and an even stronger resolve to continue the fight for equality and justice for our people.

The stories of Africville’s residents, their unwavering spirit in the face of adversity, and their determination to build a life in a society that often marginalized them, serve as a powerful reminder of the strength within our community. This visit has renewed our commitment to honoring their legacy by continuing to strive for a world where equality is not just an ideal, but a reality for all of us. Africville stands as a testament to the resilience of our ancestors, and we are honored to walk in...