Videos offer Black perspective on slavery leading up to Emancipation Day
Slavery was abolished in the British Commonwealth and Empire -- including Canada – in 1834 and for the first time on Aug. 1st, the Canadian government will recognize Emancipation Day nationwide.
In the days leading up to it, a YouTube campaign draws on the amazing stories of Black history, as told by some prominent African Canadians.
On Aug. 1st, 1834 the Slavery Abolition Act came into effect and freed about 800,000 people from enslavement in British colonies, says author Lindsay Ruck.
"The history books have been written by the ancestors of colonists," Ruck said. "What we're taught and read and hear is very selective. It's nowhere near a history that reflects everyone, but until we acknowledge it we'll never be able to fully live in a Canada that represents everyone who lives in it."
She says it's important to have these conversations, even if an apology has been made.
"An apology is not an eraser," Ruck said. "More needs to be done, especially for future generations. If you don't know where you're from you can't move forward as a country together."
The Delmore Buddy Daye Learning Institute has prepared some educational videos for people to watch leading up to Emancipation Day.
The videos will include storytellers like Sen. Wanda Thomas Bernard, Pastor Rhonda Britton, singer Keonte Beals, and Lataevia Beezer of CTV Atlantic.
"I hope they find each video interesting, maybe be inspired by some of these stories and maybe get them thinking about what they want to do to recognize Emancipation Day," Ruck says.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'They needed people inside Air Canada:' Police announce arrests in Pearson gold heist
Police say one former and one current employee of Air Canada are among the nine suspects that are facing charges in connection with the gold heist at Pearson International Airport last year.
House admonishes ArriveCan contractor in rare parliamentary show of power
MPs enacted an extraordinary, rarely used parliamentary power on Wednesday, summonsing an ArriveCan contractor to appear before the House of Commons where he was admonished publicly and forced to provide answers to the questions MPs said he'd previously evaded.
Leafs star Auston Matthews finishes season with 69 goals
Auston Matthews won't be joining the NHL's 70-goal club this season.
Trump lawyers say Stormy Daniels refused subpoena outside a Brooklyn bar, papers left 'at her feet'
Donald Trump's legal team says it tried serving Stormy Daniels a subpoena as she arrived for an event at a bar in Brooklyn last month, but the porn actor, who is expected to be a witness at the former president's criminal trial, refused to take it and walked away.
Why drivers in Eastern Canada could see big gas price spikes, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
Doug Ford calls on Ontario Speaker to reverse Queen's Park keffiyeh ban
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on Speaker Ted Arnott to reverse a ban on keffiyehs at Queen's Park, describing the move as “needlessly” divisive.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
Woman who pressured boyfriend to kill his ex in 2000s granted absences from prison
A woman who pressured her boyfriend into killing his teenage ex more than a decade ago will be allowed to leave prison for weeks at a time.
Customers disappointed after email listing $60K Tim Hortons prize sent in error
Several Tim Horton’s customers are feeling great disappointment after being told by the company that an email stating they won a boat worth nearly $60,000 was sent in error.