Before You Go: Canada Emancipation Day

August 1 in Canada is cause for a joyous occasion:  Emancipation Day! Before You Go was honored to hear all about the journey to commemorating the freeing of enslaved people from Rosemary Sadlier OOnt (Order of Ontario), a champion of African Canadian education for Canadian residents. Just like crusader Opal Lee's efforts pushed national holiday status for Juneteenth in the United States, Sadlier spent a lifetime bringing  African Canadian history to national recognition.

Unlike the United States and South America, slavery was abolished across the British Commonwealth (which includes Canada) in 1834.

Sadlier, a prolific author and past president of the Ontario Black History Society, easily recalls fascinating details of historical figures such as Mary Ann Shadd, Harriet Tubman and more. Our Emancipation Day lesson gives wonderful insight to the activities of our neighbors to the north.

This episode premiered on KBLA Talk 1580 in Los Angeles, CA.