Kentville African Heritage
We acknowledge that African Nova Scotians and people of black heritage have resided in this region for over 400 years. We proudly recognize that as a founding people, their contributions began over 150 years before Kentville became an incorporated Town.
African Nova Scotian history is our shared history – a history that dates back centuries and is filled with achievement, accomplishment and resiliency. This page recognizes the rich local history of African Nova Scotian Communities within our town and region and some of their many contributions.
1606 - Mathieu daCosta arrived with French explorers. He is the first recorded black man in Nova Scotia/Canada. DaCosta was a free man who served as an interpreter for French and Dutch traders. (1) Picture: Mathieu daCosta
1759-65 - Roughly 150 people of African heritage arrived in Nova Scotia as enslaved people of the New England Planters. (2) Picture: African Nova Scotian by Captain William Booth 1788
1783 - 3,500 free Black Loyalists arrive in Nova Scotia: the first major group of Black settlers in the province of Nova Scotia. (3) Picture: Thomas Peters
1800-01 - Dinah Powell and Chloe Landsey founded Pine Woods (Now the North End of Kentville and Aldershot) which is one of the 52 historic black communities of Nova Scotia. (4) Picture: Meadowview Community Hall present day
1802/ 1803 - Gibson Woods was founded by George Gibson, a Black Loyalist in 1802 or 1803. He paid £40 for 40 acres of land. Gibson Woods is also one of the 52 historic black communities of Nova Scotia. (5) Pictured: Gibson Woods Baptist Church present day
1812 - Close to 2,000 U.S. Black refugees from the US/UK War of 1812 settled in the Maritimes. (6) Picture: Gabriel Hall a refugee from the War of 1812
1916 - The Landsay brothers grew up in Pine Woods now the North End of Kentville and Aldershot today — and enlisted during the First World War. They joined the No. 2 Construction Battalion alongside more than 750 Black men. James, the eldest brother, was in his early 20s. Frederick, who was born in 1899, was still a teenager. (7) Pictured: The No. 2 Construction Battalion
1934 - Dr. Rev. William Pearly Oliver was born in Wolfville, He was the first African Nova Scotian to graduate with two university degrees. He is considered the “Founding Father” of the Nova Scotia Association for the Advancement of Coloured People, co-founded the Black United Front and founder of the Black Cultural Society of Nova Scotia. (8) Pictured: Dr. Rev. William Pearly Oliver
1954 - Elroy Hill Sr. was Nova Scotia's first paid Black professional firefighter. He trained at the base in Cornwallis and began his career as a DND firefighter, with his first assignment at Camp Aldershot in 1954. He worked there until 1959 then in Halifax for 27 years. He retired and died in Kentville. (9) Pictured: Elroy Hill Sr.
1976 - Bryan Gibson represented Canada at the 1976 Summer Olympics and is the first boxer of African descent from Nova Scotia to compete in the Olympics. (10) Pictured: Bryan Gibson
1977 - Orval Browning of Gibson Woods was the longest-serving African Canadian member (43 years) of the Canadian Armed Forces with 3 bars on his Canadian Decoration Medal. He was recognized by the Minister of National Defense and named the long-range Patrol Aircraft – the Aurora. This was but one of the instances where Orval was recognized by the Canadian Military for his creativity. (11) Pictured: Orval Browning
1999 - Juanita Pleasant of Kentville is a poet, author and keeper of local history who has published six books that celebrate Black history, community, and life in the Annapolis Valley. Her poetry inspires young audiences, preserves cultural pride, and comforts overseas soldiers. Her work has been recognized by the past US President George Bush Jr and past HRM Mayor Peter Kelly. She enriches Kentville’s cultural heritage. (12) Pictured: Juanita Pleasant
2012 - Chief Superintendent (Ret'd) Craig Gibson, originally from Gibson Woods, Nova Scotia, became the first Black commanding officer in the 151 -year history of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) when he took command of the force on Prince Edward Island in July 2012. Recognized for excellence and commitment to small communities, he left his PEI post in 2015 to become the Director-General of Modernization, Recruiting, and Human Resources at RCMP headquarters in Ottawa. (13) Pictured: Chief Superintendent (Ret'd) Craig Gibson
REFERENCES:
(1) Citizenship and Immigration Canada. www.gic.gc.ca
(2) Nova Scotia Archives. www.archives.novascotia.ca
(3) The Black Cultural Centre. www.bccns.com
(4) Arthur Eaton, History of Kings County, p. 144
5) Arthur Eaton, History of Kings County, p. 144
(6) Canadian Museum of Immigration at Pier 21. www.pier21.ca
(7) Giuliana Grillo de Lambarri · CBC News. 2024
(8) The Black Cultural Centre. www.bccns.com.
(9) Juanita Pleasant, My Valley Heritage, p.74
(10) Halifax Examiner: www.halifaxexaminer.ca
(11) Black Canadian Veteran Stories: www.blackcanadianveterans.com
(12) Jack Julian · CBC News. 2020
(13) commissionaires.ca 2022