Dr. Richard Reid on African-Canadians in the US Civil War

by Teresa Pitman for @Guelph

African Canadians in Union Blue by Richard Reid, Professor Emeritus looks at why so many black Canadians left the safety of home to serve in a foreign war.

Each year Canada honours the legacy of black Canadians during Black History Month in February, and Canadians can gain insight into the experiences of black Canadians and their vital role in the country’s history. But what many people might not know is these contributions extended beyond the border. In the years before the American Civil War, many African-Americans moved to Canada – or, more accurately, the territories that would become Canada in 1867 – seeking a better life without slavery or restrictive laws. Racism was still a reality in Canada, but it was not institutionalized as it was in the U.S.

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