Africville Apology, Government proclamation in Halifax, Canada.
The Africville Apology is an official proclamation by the city of Halifax acknowledging and expressing regret for the forced removal of Black residents from the shores of the Bedford Basin in the 1960s. As part of this recognition, the Africville name was restored to Seaview Park and a replica of the former community church was built on the site to serve as an interpretation center.
Africville grew in the early 1800s as a settlement of free and escaped Black people on the edge of Halifax and lasted for over a century despite the discrimination its residents faced. In the 1960s the city began demolishing homes and the church and relocating residents by force, and a formal apology came in 2008.
The name Africville reflects the African heritage of the people who built their own community there, including a church and a school, over many generations. A replica of the original Seaview United Baptist Church now stands on the site and serves as a gathering place for commemorations.
The site sits at the edge of Seaview Park along the waterfront and is reachable on foot from downtown Halifax. The interpretation center inside the church replica is a good starting point before walking around the grounds.
During the demolitions in the 1960s, the belongings and homes of residents were moved using city dump trucks, a detail that many visitors find deeply troubling when they learn about it at the site. This choice of vehicle was seen by the community as a deliberate act of disrespect and is now part of the story told inside the interpretation center.
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