To celebrate the Black Loyalist 225 anniversary and the visit of the Freedom Schooner Amistad, a wide variety of events are planned throughout Halifax and in Birchtown and Shelburne. All of these events are free of charge and everyone is encouraged to attend. Items with an asterisk (*) have limited seating so plan to arrive early!

Halifax

Tuesday, July 29

10:00 to noon - Parade of Small Ships in Halifax Harbour
12:00 to 1:00 - Civic Welcome for Freedom Schooner Amistad, Official Launch of Black Loyalist 225 at the Maritime Museum Wharf
2:00 to 4:00 - Amistad Open to Public at MMA Wharf
7:30 to 8:00 - Shelly Hamilton play "A New Hope" at Maritime Museum Theatre *

Wednesday, July 30

10:00 to noon - Amistad open to Public
7:00 to 8:00 - Shelley Hamilton Play "A New Hope" at Bus Stop Theatre, 2203 Gottingen St. *

Thursday, July 31

10:00 to noon - Amistad open to Public
7:00 to 8:00 - Shelley Hamilton Play "A New Hope" at Black Cultural Centre. *

Friday, August 1

10:00 to noon - Amistad open to Public
8:00 to 10:00 - Black Loyalist 225 Tribute Concert at the Natal Day Waterfront Tent

Saturday, August 2

10:00 to noon - Amistad open to Public

Sunday, August 3

12:00 to 3:00 - 4th annual Freedom Festival Gospel Concert at the Natal Day Waterfront Tent
3:00 to 5:00 - Amistad open to Public
7:00 to 8:00 - Shelley Hamilton Play "A New Hope" at Osprey Theatre in Shelburne *

Monday, August 4

10:00 to noon - Amistad open to Public
1:00 to 4:00 - Amistad open to Public

Tuesday, August 5

Noon - Amistad departs for Shelburne / Birchtown

Shelburne / Birchtown

Friday, August 8

11:00 to noon - Parade of Sail escorts Amistad into Shelburne Harbour
Noon - Amistad arrives at Government wharf in Shelburne
Noon to 1:00 - Civic Welcome, Official Shelburne / Birchtown launch of Black Loyalist 225
4:00 to 6:00 - Amistad is Open to Public

Saturday, August 9

8:30 to 10:00 - Community Breakfast and Tour at Birchtown
11:00 to 1:30 - Amistad is open to public
2:30 to 3:30 - Opening of Black Boatbuilders Exhibit at Muir-Cox Boatyard
2:00 to 5:00 - African Bazaar and Farmer’s Market
9:00 to 1:00 - Community Dance

Sunday, August 10

5:00 to 7:00 - Amistad is Open to Public

Monday, August 11

Noon - Amistad departs Gov’t wharf, Parade of Sail escorts her out of Shelburne Harbour.

Please note that the concert listed in the Museum Events Guide for Saturday August 2nd, which was to celebrate the visit of the Freedom Schooner Amistad to our wharves has been cancelled due to an unforeseen scheduling conflict.

Thank You.

An iconic image of the Black Loyalist and Sierra Leone experience, this painting is a rare, accurate eyewitness view of a pivotal moment in human history - the return of Africans freed from North American slavery to Africa by a fleet of vessels from Nova Scotia. In addition to being the earliest depiction of named vessels from Canada, this watercolour is the only known painting showing the arrival of the ships which marked the founding of the city of Freetown and the nation of Sierra Leone.

The voyage, instigated by Black Loyalist leader Thomas Peters and led by abolitionist and naval officer John Clarkson, was a major international event in the campaign against the slave trade as the first large-scale return of freed slaves to Africa. It was a significant project of the growing abolitionist movement in Britain in collaboration with leaders of the Black Loyalists in Nova Scotia. Although the first vessels of the fleet had arrived on March 7, 1792, the next 10 days were spent unloading passengers and supplies. On the day of this painting, the last of the supplies had been landed and passengers disembarked. The following day, Clarkson “discharged” the ships allowing their return to Nova Scotia.

Gift of Robert G. Kearns, Artifact no. M2008.38.1

The maker of this cloth was named Margru and in the language of her people in the Mende region of West Africa, it meant "black snake". Margru was just eight years old when she was transported to Cuba as a slave and experienced the revolt aboard Amistad. The dramatic trial in Connecticut which followed led to her freedom two and a half years later. It was during this time she was given the anglicized name Sarah Kinson. With 31 adults and three other children of the original 53 who had shipped aboard Amistad, Sarah Margru Kinson began her return voyage to Africa on the barque Gentleman in November, 1841.

Accompanying the group were five missionaries including William Raymond and his wife Eliza Ruggles Raymond originally from Aylesford, Nova Scotia. In Sierra Leone’s interior, they established a mission station called Kaw Mendi which became Sarah Margru’s home. Unfortunately, suffering from ill health and the loss of two children, Eliza was forced to return to America after only a few years. It was probably during her time at Kaw Mendi, Eliza received a gift of woven cloth of traditional West African design made by Sarah and possibly another of the mission girls. William Raymond died of yellow fever and Eliza never returned to Africa but lived out her life in Nova Scotia where she died at age 92. Sarah Margru received a formal education at Oberlin College in Ohio before returning again to Sierra Leone to teach at Kaw Mendi.

NSM 2004.7.206

 

On May 29, 1758, the largest fleet of sailing ships to ever depart from Halifax left the harbour and headed north.

This British armada, comprised of 150 ships and carrying over 27,000 men, was bound for the French Fortress of Louisbourg, prepared to lay siege.

The campaign endured for two months before British forces achieved their first major victory in the Seven Years War, a victory that would change the
world - and Halifax - forever.

Don't miss this compelling 250th anniversary exhibit which examines the major turning point in the tug-of-war for North America between England and France.

What will the 2008 hurricane season bring to the North Atlantic? Visit the Maritime Museum and watch as staff track the progress of this year’s storms on a giant weather map.

Learn about the hurricanes that have battered Nova Scotia’s shores over the past century-and-a-half, and view the Canadian Meteorological Service’s Hurricane Centre website for the very latest on hurricanes.

Join us for a performance of some of the tracks from this exciting new CD, which centres on exhibits in and out of the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic, written in the last couple of years by David Stone.

Hear songs about "Lucky" Farquhar, the Rayo Deckhouse, SS Atlantic, CSS Acadia, Sable Island, sloven wagons, Sam Cunard and William Lawrence...

Several musical friends will be dropping by to lend a hand a voice that evening, so it's bound to an event to mark on your calendar!

Each weekday, visit the large boatshed on the wharf and watch as work proceeds on the Museum’s latest restoration project, the "C" Class sloop, Whim.

This 37 foot-long boat originated in Chester, Nova Scotia in the 1930s and was designed by Reuben Heisler. Once restored, this vessel will be a beautiful example of it’s era and a joy to behold in action.


To see the project’s progress online, click here.