We are continuously working on capturing and preserving the stories of our local black ancestors.
We invite you to contribute to our archive by sharing your ancestral stories that have a local connection.

Written stories, interviews with older generations, or pictures, by themselves or as support for a submitted story would be very appreciated.

Please send your submissions including photo descriptions by emailing owensoundemancipationfestival@gmail.com.

NOTE: If you need assistance with the technical side of things like scanning photos, recording your families stories or sending files please contact us, we are more than happy to help.

Black History Cairn

On July 31, 2004, the Black History Cairn Committee unveiled a commemorative Cairn during the 142nd Emancipation Day Celebrations at Harrison Park in Owen Sound. Located in a quiet spot near the Sydenham River, the cairn is admired for its cultural, historic and artistic qualities.

The cairn was designed to commemorate the route of African American slaves from their abduction in Africa and their subsequent escape to freedom in Canada. It is a memorial to the Black settlers of Owen Sound, the most northern terminus of the Underground Railroad.

For more information, we recommend reading Black Eyed Peas and Races, written by the creator Bonita Johnson de Matteis (available at The Ginger Press Bookshop or online.

Black history resources and articles

Below is a list of Black History resources, news and other articles. If there is a Black History resource that you would recommend for sharing, please contact us.

• Early Black History in Canada

• Emancipation History

• The American Emancipation Proclamation

• A Whitewashing of History

• Honoured Slave Visits Owen Sound

• Marisse Louisy

• Negro Creek Documentary

• Owen Sound's Black History

• History Article (1)

• History Article (2)

• Owen Sound Tourism

• Emancipation Festival

• Black History Cairn

• British Methodist Episcopal Church

• Grey Roots Museum & Archives (type ‘black history’)

• Northern Terminus

• Black History in Grey County

• Presque Isle

• Recognizing Thomas Henry Miller

• The BME Church

• Black History Month

• ASALH | The Founders of Black History Month (est. 1915)

• African Canadian - Centre for the Study of Black Culturesin Canada

• Ontario Black History Society

• Black Canadians In Uniform - Veterans Affairs Canada

• Toronto Celebrates Black History Month - City of Toronto

• Black Loyalists - Canada's Digital Collections

• The Black Community in the History of Québec & Canada - Some Missing Pages.

• Black History Pages - Aggregate of Websites

• Ontario Black History Society Archives - Digital Collections

• Everything Black

• Canadian Alliance of Black Educators

News and other articles

Owen Sound Emancipation Festival celebrates 160 years | Owen Sound Sun Times - August 2, 2022

Longest-running Emancipation Day Festival in North America returns to Owen Sound | Owen Sound Sun Times - July 27, 2022

Family picnic in 1862 became annual Emancipation Festival - Barrie News (barrietoday.com) - July 27, 2022

Emancipation Day has deep roots in Canada. So why are so few people aware of it? - July 24, 2022

Descendant of Black settlers in Ontario county is fed up with theft, vandalism of road sign | CBC News - February 22, 2022

‘They were people’: Work ongoing to keep Negro Creek history alive | Collingwood Today - February 21, 2022

What is Emancipation Day (Aug 1) and How is it Connected to Carnival? (toughconvos.com) - August 5, 2021

Emancipation Day celebrations predate Canada's official proclamation by decades | CBC News - August 1, 2021

Emancipation Day commemoration must ‘come with some real action,’ says one historian (Toronto Star) - August 1, 2021

Emancipation Festival to go virtual this year again (iheartradio.ca) - July 29, 2021

Virtual Owen Sound Emancipation Festival To Celebrate Milestone | Bayshore Broadcasting News Centre - July 29, 2021

Virtual Owen Sound Emancipation Festival set for Sunday | Owen Sound Sun Times - July 27, 2021

Emancipation Festival a virtual experience in 2021 (owensoundhub.org) - July 27, 2021

Potter`s Field Monument Unveiled at Greenwood Cemetery - 1,200 Unmarked Graves Unveiled In Owen Sound - May 17, 2021

Slavery: Canada’s “best-kept secret” | Owen Sound Sun Times – Owen Sound Sun Times – January 19,  2021

Matthew Green on Emancipation Day (House of Commons) – December 8, 2020

An Ontario city has celebrated Emancipation Day — marking slavery’s end — for 158 years. This year feels different – Toronto Star (Karen Black) August 1, 2020

Emancipation festival an online celebration, call to action | Owen Sound Sun Times – August 2, 2020

Emancipation festival an online celebration, call to action | Owen Sound Sun Times – August 2, 2020

Locally produced Emancipation Festival video to 'stand-in' for this year's event premieres Saturday – July 30, 2020

Owen Sound artist honours his Black heritage – South Grey News - July 30, 2020

Owen Sound supports a national Emancipation Day – July 28, 2020

N.S. Senator pushes for Emancipation Day to be nationally recognized - Global News – July 23, 2020

Black Lives Matter in Owen Sound – June 10, 2020

Owen Sound Emancipation Festival welcomes all | Sudbury Star (thesudburystar.com) – July 31, 2019

Owen Sound Emancipation Festival Celebrates 155th Anniversary | The Ontario Historical Society – March 26, 2018

Grey Roots Museum & Archives – Northern Terminus (Vols 16 - 2019 & 14 – 2017) - Interviews with Bonita Johnson deMatteis

“They’re going to be interested! So I’ll write it for them!”

“WOW! I guess I can draw!”

On Emancipation Day, celebrating a family history that stretches to the Underground Railroad - 2017

Owen Sound – Northern Terminus of the Underground Railroad (Mysteries of Canada) – 2014

Ending the silence to save history | The Star (2008)

Historic Photos