W. A. Spray

Published in 1972, this brief booklet chronicles the difficulties experienced by Afro-Canadians who either emigrated to Canada, specifically New Brunswick in this case, to find freedom or who were brought here as slaves or indentured servants. As was the case in other parts of Canada, they may have been welcomed at first as a source of labour but eventually they ran into the same prejudice and persecution they had experienced in the USA, albeit a bit less severe and dangerous. Many returned to the U.S. after the Civil War where they felt they had a better chance fighting discrimination as a large group.
Their children were refused schooling, they were refused worship in the white churches and finding a good job was difficult if not impossible.
This is an overview and many more detailed works have been published since although this introduces the reader to the situation in New Brunswick.… (meer)