Home to one of the oldest and largest Indigenous Black populations in Nova Scotia, the community of North Preston saw settlers from multiple migration waves starting with the Black Loyalist in 1783, the Jamaican Maroons in 1796, and the Black R
In the early 1900s, there was an influx of immigrants who came to Cape Breton in search of work for the Dominion Iron and Steel Company. Skilled Black workers were recruited from America, the West Indies, and other parts of Nova Scotia to work
From 1812-1816, a contingent of Black Refugees settled Beechville on the outskirts of Halifax. Once a predominantly Black community spanning over 5000 acres, Beechville’s geographical boundaries have declined over the years as a result of “urba
The New England Planters first arrived with slaves to Yarmouth in 1760. Following the 1784 Shelburne Race Riot, Black Loyalists migrated to Yarmouth in search of freedom, land, and employment opportunities. Shawn caught up with Yarmouth residen
We are starting where it all began. Birchtown is one of the oldest African Nova Scotian communities, established in 1783. Shelburne is the site of the first documented race riot in North America. Our discussion with historian Graham Nickerson
Loyalist Connections is a journey of rediscovery, led by hosts Shawn Smith and Laurice Downey. These two old friends want to better understand their Black Loyalist ancestors and what happened to the communities they settled. In this episode, yo
The Loyalist Connections is a podcast hosted by Shawn Smith and Laurice Downey. Together, they are determined to shed light on lost or disappearing Black Nova Scotian communities, discuss why these communities could not survive or are fading, a