Between 1840 and 1860, more than 30,000 slaves sought refuge from the inhuman treatment they suffered in southern United States, where they were - by law - the property of their owners, beaten, whipped and forced to obey. After this precedent Canada began standing out as possible refuge for slavery. Majority of blacks set up home in Birchtown, Nova Scotia where racism was prevalent and prominent leaders held slaves and enforced racial rule. The both free and fugitive African Americans, like most immigrants at the time were encouraged to migrate to Canada through printed posters and even offered land and refuge if they pledged their allegiance to the crown. Free blacks such as Mary Ann Shadd had been invited to teach school to escaped American
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Although she could afford it, she was unjustly arrested for sitting in a Whites only reserved section of a theatre, charged, and held overnight in jail. Not advised of her rights, Viola Desmond was charged with defrauding the government of Nova Scotia of the difference in tax between the Whites only ground floor and the Blacks and other undesirables balcony seat, which amounted to one cent. Clearly the issue was not about tax evasion, but the racist seating policy and her being an African Canadian. Segregation and racism towards African Canadians isn't something that's necessarily brought up and considered less extreme compared to the United States, but social prejudice was prominent. On occasion Blacks were forced into segregated schools and at times housing, particularly but not limited to in Nova Scotia and Ontario. Black Canadians faced a widespread pattern of discrimination with access to public services, employment and housing. Although segregation was not legal in Canada, there were always “understandings” of which neighbourhoods Black people could live and worship. In the early 20th century, Housing discrimination in Vancouver and racial segregation was socially advocated by White society and as a result, a large concentration of the Black population of the lower mainland and other non-white immigrant groups came to live in and around an area known as Hogan’s Alley. Hogan’s Alley was a Vancouver, British Columbia's first and last neighbourhood with a substantial concentrated Black population. It was known largely for its African-Canadian population and home to the only African church in the city. Unfortunately, like most segregated Black settlements and Chinatowns, Hogan's Alley was subject to the status as a slum in need of "urban renewal" or "slum clearance." The building of a freeway exactly at the site of
Although she could afford it, she was unjustly arrested for sitting in a Whites only reserved section of a theatre, charged, and held overnight in jail. Not advised of her rights, Viola Desmond was charged with defrauding the government of Nova Scotia of the difference in tax between the Whites only ground floor and the Blacks and other undesirables balcony seat, which amounted to one cent. Clearly the issue was not about tax evasion, but the racist seating policy and her being an African Canadian. Segregation and racism towards African Canadians isn't something that's necessarily brought up and considered less extreme compared to the United States, but social prejudice was prominent. On occasion Blacks were forced into segregated schools and at times housing, particularly but not limited to in Nova Scotia and Ontario. Black Canadians faced a widespread pattern of discrimination with access to public services, employment and housing. Although segregation was not legal in Canada, there were always “understandings” of which neighbourhoods Black people could live and worship. In the early 20th century, Housing discrimination in Vancouver and racial segregation was socially advocated by White society and as a result, a large concentration of the Black population of the lower mainland and other non-white immigrant groups came to live in and around an area known as Hogan’s Alley. Hogan’s Alley was a Vancouver, British Columbia's first and last neighbourhood with a substantial concentrated Black population. It was known largely for its African-Canadian population and home to the only African church in the city. Unfortunately, like most segregated Black settlements and Chinatowns, Hogan's Alley was subject to the status as a slum in need of "urban renewal" or "slum clearance." The building of a freeway exactly at the site of