The story of Black Nova Scotians is a rich tapestry. The province has over 52 historic Black communities that go back several generations, making Nova Scotia the birthplace of Black culture and heritage in Canada. It's a story of many diverse groups – Loyalists, Maroons, Caribbeans, Refugees and others – sewn together through a common African ancestry and the search for a better life in Nova Scotia.

African Nova Scotians have called Nova Scotia home for centuries. The first to arrive was explorer and translator for Samuel de Champlain, Mathieu de Costa, who helped build relationships with Mi'kmaq in the early 1600s. In the years that followed, Black settlers from both French and English backgrounds settled in towns like Annapolis Royal. Others were also transported to Louisbourg to work as slaves.

More than a century later, over 3,000 Black Loyalists fled to Nova Scotia to escape the aftermath of the American War of Independence. In the decades that followed, they were joined by the Maroons – a group of freed slaves deported from Jamaica – and refugees from the American Civil War escaping slavery through the Underground Railroad. If you are keen to visit the various sites that weave together the story of Nova Scotia's heritage, this is where you should be heading to:

The Black Loyalist Heritage Site: Located in Birchtown, the centre takes visitors through the journey of early Black settlers in Nova Scotia. Featuring multimedia stations and programming, the centre lets visitors become part of the story by tracing their heritage through The Book of Negroes – a document containing the names of all Blacks who escaped Canada. Read more.

The Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia: Established in 1983 by the Black Cultural Society of Nova Scotia led by Rev. Dr. William Pearly Oliver, the Centre has a mandate to protect, preserve and promote a unique history that spans well over 400 years in this province. The Centre is the first and largest museum dedicated to Black History and the African Nova Scotian legacy in Canada. The Centre is a community operated, government funded provincial museum and cultural centre that welcomes patrons of all ages, year round to discover an important part of Nova Scotia's and Canada's diverse history. Read more.

Africville Museum: First settled in the 1860s, Africville was a thriving African Nova Scotian community nestled on the edge of Halifax Harbour. In the 1960s, its buildings were destroyed and residents displaced to free up land for Halifax's industrial expansion. Today, the Africville Museum stands in a replica of the church that was the emotional heart of Africville. Inside, audio-visual kiosks, pictures, descriptive panels, and artifacts tell the story of the Africville community by commemorating the injustice of this destruction and celebrating the strong community spirit that still endures to this day. Read more.

The Army Museum - Halifax Citadel: Located in the Cavalier Building within the Halifax Citadel National Historic Site, the Army Museum houses a display dedicated to Canada's only all-black battalion and the all-black 104th Pioneer Regiment, which are connected to the migration of Jamaican Maroons to Halifax. Read more.

Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site: Louisbourg was home to numerous black slaves in the 1700s. Marie Marguerite Rose was one of them, until she was given her freedom and went on to become a successful business person in the town. Today, visitors at the Fortress of Louisbourg can learn about her story and the stories of other blacks in the fort town by speaking with costumed interpreters and by visiting a monument recognizing her remarkable life. Read more.