A History Exposed: The Enslavement of Black People in Canada

A painting of a Black woman dressed in long skirts and a shawl. It is night time and she carries torch.

Marie-Josèphe Angélique (1705-1734) depicted by artist Marilyn Carr-Harris. Courtesy of Dr. Afua Cooper.

Canada’s connection to slavery is not just the Underground Railroad; Slavery played a significant role in the early settlement of Canada and its legacy can be seen and felt today.

  • Discover the experiences of enslaved Black people in Canada through individual biographies and archival records;
  • learn how slavery came to be in Canada; and
  • find out who were Canada’s enslavers.

Created with guest curator Dr. Afua Cooper and in partnership with the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia.

Dr. Afua Cooper holds up heavy iron shackles. 

Dr. Afua Cooper

Content Highlights

  • Global context of slavery in Canada
  • Origins of enslaved Blacks in Canada
  • Identifying Canada’s enslavers
  • Culture, work, and experiences of enslaved peoples
  • Biographies of individuals who were enslaved
  • Legacies of slavery in Canada

The exhibition is fully booked and travelling across Canada.

Schedule

VenueDate
Lloyminster Museum & Archives
Lloyminster, AB
December 2029 – February 2030
New Brunswick Black History Society
Moncton, NB
September – November 2029
Municipality of the County of Kings
Coldbrook, NS
June – August 2029
City of Humboldt
Humbolt, SK
March – May 2029
The Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society & Black Mecca Museum
Chatham-Kent, ON
December 2028 – February 2029

Swift Current Museum
Swift Current, SK
September – November 2028
1000 Islands History Museum
Gananoque, QC
June – August 2028
Musée Lac-Brome Museum
Knowlton, QC
February – May 2028
Library Archives Canada
Ottawa, ON
November 2027 – January 2028
Parks Canada Fortress of Louisbourg 
Louisbourg, NS
July – October 2027
Orientheque 
Sorel-Tracy, QC
April – June 2027
The Rooms 
St. John's, NL
January – March 2027
Museum of Industry
Stellarton, NS
October – December 2026
Senate of Canada 
Ottawa, ON 
June – September 2026
PumpHouse Museum
Kingston, ON
January – May 2026
Museums of Mississauga
Mississauga, ON
September – December 2025
Collingwood Museum
Collingwood, ON
June – August 2025
Black Cultural Centre
Cherry Brook, NS
January – May 2025
Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21
Halifax, NS
August – December 2024

Museums Assistance Program

MAP provides financial assistance to Canadian museums and related institutions for the cost of borrowing travelling exhibitions. Find out more.

Return to Travelling Exhibitions