Saint John's Black Community Seeks Apology
October 15, 2010 - 10:24am
Saint John's black community is appealing directly to the Queen Elizabeth for an apology for a 1785 decree that severely restricted where they could live or fish.
Saint John is celebrating the 225th anniversary of the royal charter that created the southern New Brunswick city.
But that same charter made white loyalists the only free citizens of the city and black loyalists, who fought for King George III in the American Revolution, with few exceptions, were denied the right to live or set up businesses within city boundaries.
It's so great to live in a time with absolutely no race problems and an overabundance of wealth, so that we have the luxury to examine transgressions from over two hundred years ago, so that people can be asked to apologize on behalf of people no longer alive to people who share some traits with people no longer alive.
Keystone stay out of this thread.
There was a follow up story at some point that the request was denied.
I'm sure it was. If you can find a link, please post it, Caissa.
(edited. oops)
Keystone or Caissa?
I've given a cursory look; I'll look a little more later.
ETA: Found it http://www.cbc.ca/canada/new-brunswick/story/2010/11/26/nb-saint-john-pr...
SAINT JOHN - City councillors will be asked at tonight's meeting to acknowledge, as requested by local black historian David J. Peters, that the wording of the city's original Royal Charter of 1785 discriminated against black people who lived in the area.
Mayor Ivan Court has a motion on the agenda of the 6 p.m. gathering asking council to approve a draft letter to be sent to the black citizens of Saint John, in care of Peters, stating today's mayor and council "do not agree" with its content in respect to black people and, further, "Council acknowledges that this would not be acceptable or tolerated in today's society."
Peters, a descendant of black Loyalist Thomas Peters, was excited to learn of the development when reached on Sunday.
"Fabulous," he said. "I hope they approve it. That's all I am asking."
http://telegraphjournal.canadaeast.com/city/article/1424334