Africville

As a result of the Stephenson Report of 1957, many slum areas in the city of Halifax were cleared. Africville, a black community on the northern end of the Halifax peninsula, directly south of the Bedford Basin, was home to around 400 people when it was decided that the area would be cleared and developed into an industrial area in 1964.

Africville was a "tight-knit" community, and many of the the residents had lived in the area their entire lives. Africville was located next to a city dump and railroad tracks. Homes did not have plumbing or electricity in Africville. The removal of Africville and the relocation of its residents was thought to be a positive step in Halifax's urban renewal plans in the late 1950s and 1960s by the government. The method which Africville was to be removed was seen as a very progressive movement by some. Through employment and educational opportunities for the residents of Africville, not only did the government feel that they would be removing slum housing, but they would also encourage desegregation and better lives for the residents of Africville. However, residents of Africville were not asked for their input in this relocation process. Although by 1968 Africville was seen as a local success by many, others felt that the Africville project was merely another sign of the wealthy and powerful whites taking land which they wanted to develop upon and disregarding the current residents.