Africville families celebrate 33rd reunion with 3-day celebration

The 33rd annual Africville reunion was held in Halifax this weekend. The chair of the Africville Genealogical Society said close to 1,000 people attended festivities on Friday and Saturday, but he expected even more people at the memorial church service Sunday.

"It's so very important because it's an opportunity for the children of today to experience that sense of community that was there in Africville when we were here," said Irvine Carvery. "There are people who are still alive who were in Africville so it's very important for us to come together and celebrate."

Africville was once home to hundreds of people and families for more than a century. The community was evicted in the 1960s by the city of Halifax. The Africville Genealogy Society started in 1983 and has held a reunion at the site — now a public park — every year.

Memories of the community

Ivan Ross remembers growing up in Africville. He said he was either six or seven when it was destroyed. Ross makes a point to come to the reunion every year.

"It's where I grew up, it's where I was born and we pass it on to the next generation so they keep it going. That's the reason why we're here. To pass it on and make sure it goes on and on and on," said Ross.

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Michael Mansfield is from Dartmouth, but said his family had friends in Africville and that they would visit the area to go to church and see friends. He said two families ended up moving to Dartmouth next to his home.

"They became good friends ... we all played together, grew up together and went to school together," said Mansfield. "For me to be here it's in honour of those families that relocated next to us in Dartmouth and it's a chance to honour Africville."

Mansfield said as the years have gone by, everybody can understand more about the injustice done to the community.