Latest news with #Africville
CBC
13 hours ago
- General
- CBC
Long-standing Africville activist says he will fight latest eviction notice
Standing in front of his RV on the grounds of Africville Park in Halifax, Eddie Carvery vowed that after more than 50 years of protest, he's not going anywhere in the face of yet another eviction order. The 79-year-old activist was born in Africville and has maintained a camp on the lands of the former Black community for decades, resisting multiple attempts from the municipality to end his crusade. Carvery has recently been asked to remove his protest trailer once again, but this time by the Africville Heritage Trust Society. The trust, which owns the piece of land where the trailer sits, runs the nearby Africville Museum in a replica of the community's former church on the shore of the Bedford Basin. While he says he is struggling with his health and nearing the end of his life, Carvery said he's not leaving until he achieves his goal of reparations for the descendants of the people of Africville. "I wanna give it up. I wanna sleep nice, like normal people. I'm tired, but until they find someone else to champion our cause to fight for Africville, I've got no choice," Carvery said in a recent interview. "I'm not going nowhere." Originally a tight-knit Black community founded in 1848, Africville was bulldozed by the former City of Halifax in the 1960s to make room for the MacKay Bridge. In a statement on July 7, the trust said it had asked Carvery to remove his trailer from the property. Carvery was given a deadline of July 13, but he has not moved. "While we recognize the emotional and historical importance of these efforts, we also have a responsibility to ensure the safety of all visitors to the site," wrote Carrie Hill, trust chair. Hill said the trust was concerned that "if something were to happen" in or around Carvery's trailer, the trust could be held liable. The society declined CBC's request for an interview. Carvery said he stays at the trailer as often as he can, but because of his declining health he does have an apartment. Africville is now a National Historic Site. In 2010, former Africville residents and their descendants received an apology and $3 million from the city along with one hectare of land and a commitment to rebuild the Seaview United Baptist Church on the site. The trust was set up as part of the settlement to keep "the memory and spirit of the community of Africville alive" through education and dialogue, a Halifax staff report said. But there was no offer of individual compensation, which Carvery had demanded along with a public inquiry. He rejected the settlement and refused to leave the property. In 2024, Halifax sold the piece of land where Carvery's trailer sits to the trust for $1. The society had asked for the parcel to expand the parking lot beside the museum to accommodate more tourist buses. The trust has said it hopes to eventually build a marina off the property. On Monday, nearly 50 people gathered around Carvery's trailer to protest the eviction. Eddy Carvery III said he was grateful to see the support for his grandfather, whose fight has been "symbolic" and important to so many Africville descendants. "With this new news, I can see the heartbreak in him," Eddy said Monday about the trust's eviction notice. "How did we get here? How as a society, how as a city, are we letting this happen to a man that's dedicated his life, peacefully, for something that everybody knows was wrong?" Eddy said he plans to continue his grandfather's fight, and wants to see individual compensation for Africville descendants, homes returned to the land, a community centre, and one day a long-term care home. "Things for us to develop and flourish, and contribute to society the way we always wanted to," he said. The municipality also issued Carvery a $25 ticket on July 14 for parking on private property following a request from the Africville Museum. But Mark Gough, spokesperson for the municipality, said that the ticket was cancelled on Monday morning "and efforts are underway" to inform Carvery. Gough said after senior staff with traffic and parking management examined the ticket, they realized Carvery's trailer did not have a licence plate, valid vehicle identification number or motor vehicle inspection sticker, leaving the ticket "invalid."
CTV News
a day ago
- General
- CTV News
Hundreds gather at Africville reunion
Hundreds gathered at Halifax's historic Africville community Saturday, in celebration of the 42nd annual Africville reunion.
CBC
2 days ago
- General
- CBC
Africville Family Reunion features celebration, reflection
The latest generation of Africville descendants enjoyed the sunshine for children's day at the community's annual gathering in Halifax. Africville was razed by the city in the 1960s. The location is now a National Historic Site.
CBC
3 days ago
- General
- CBC
Spirits high at Africville reunion as attendees celebrate 'the people that came before us'
Social Sharing Kites were flying, kids were playing and burgers were being flipped at the 42nd Africville Family Reunion on Saturday. It was children's day, and event organizer Shawn Mantley was on barbecue duty. He said it's important for the community to gather and acknowledge their ancestors and the history of Africville. "For us, it's remembering the good times, but also not forgetting the injustice," he said. "It's celebrating the ancestors and the people that came before us." For more than 40 years, people have returned for a weekend festival at what is now a National Historic Site, after Africville was torn down by the city of Halifax in the 1960s. Mantley said some children might not know the story of Africville. But they had the opportunity to learn during a roundtable Friday night where descendants shared memories and talked about the injustices faced. Mantley said despite a shooting that left five people injured at least year's event, the atmosphere this year feels calm, and it's a good feeling to be here. "For our youth, we want to make sure that the spirit of Africville carries on," said Mantley. Amira Simms Oliver, 14, has soaked up the spirit of Africville at every reunion since she was a baby. She said it's great to be surrounded by family and friends. "Even though the incident last year happened, I'm not going to let that stop me from coming here," said Simms Oliver. "Even though there's not as many people as there were like the years before, I'm still going to have a good time."
CTV News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
‘Nowhere else I'd rather be': Africville reunion kicks off in Halifax
Hundreds gathered at Halifax's historic Africville community Saturday, in celebration of the 42nd annual Africville reunion. It was a time for people to kickback with one another, all while commemorating the historic Black community's resilient history. Africville was bulldozed in the 1960s, after the city forced people to make room for what it called an 'urban renewal.' Many of Africville's former residents and descendants were in attendance, celebrating the annual reunion. 'I am a descendant of Africville. My mom was born and raised in Africville. So coming down here is so important to me,' says Saundria Rolle, the owner of Sunlight Designs & Co. ''I'm really happy that everyone's back. The community is here and it's really showing our resilience.' The event also made way for African Nova Scotian businesses, who got the opportunity to put their products on display. 'It's hard for small businesses here in Nova Scotia and then to be African Nova Scotian... I mean, it can be even more difficult. So being able to have that opportunity to network, showcase my work is really, really good,' says Rolle. Saturday's event schedule featured no shortage of food, games and music, as community members flocked to the site amid sunny conditions. Africville Reunion Hundreds gathered at Halifax's historic Africville community Saturday. (Vanessa Wright/CTV News) 'I've always been loving to go back here. It feels like a really good place to be at home, and there's really nowhere else I'd rather be than this place,' says attendee Cedele Elijah Morton Ross. Like many in attendance, Ross has strong family ties to Africville. 'My grandmother, Bonnie Ross, was actually a young resident here in Africville before it was torn down. She told me many stories about how she grew up here…I learned so much stuff about this place through my father, my aunts, my uncles,' he says. 'It's honestly just nothing else but a beautiful community.' The Africville reunion celebrations will continue through until Sunday. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
