‘Nowhere else I’d rather be’: Hundreds gather at 42nd annual Africville reunion

Hundreds gathered at Halifax’s historic Africville community Saturday, in celebration of the 42nd annual Africville reunion.

It was a time for people to kickback with one another, all while commemorating the historic Black community’s resilient history.

Africville was bulldozed in the 1960s, after the city forced people to make room for what it called an “urban renewal.”

Many of Africville’s former residents and descendants were in attendance, celebrating the annual reunion.

“I am a descendant of Africville. My mom was born and raised in Africville. So coming down here is so important to me,” says Saundria Rolle, the owner of Sunlight Designs & Co. “‘I’m really happy that everyone’s back. The community is here and it’s really showing our resilience.”

The event also made way for African Nova Scotian businesses, who got the opportunity to put their products on display.

“It’s hard for small businesses here in Nova Scotia and then to be African Nova Scotian... I mean, it can be even more difficult. So being able to have that opportunity to network, showcase my work is really, really good,” says Rolle.

Saturday’s event schedule featured no shortage of food, games and music, as community members flocked to the site amid sunny conditions.

“I’ve always been loving to go back here. It feels like a really good place to be at home, and there’s really nowhere else I’d rather be than this place,” says attendee Cedele Elijah Morton Ross.

Like many in attendance, Ross has strong family ties to Africville.

“My grandmother, Bonnie Ross, was actually a young resident here in Africville before it was torn down. She told me many stories about how she grew up here…I learned so much stuff about this place through my father, my aunts, my uncles,” he says.

“It’s honestly just nothing else but a beautiful community.”

The Africville reunion celebrations will continue through until Sunday.

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