Short Stories of Blacks in The Niagara Region

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     Now in the years of 1793 there was a ban on slave imports, now during this time slavey was a accepted norm, however the ban made American blacks free as soon as they crossed the Niagara River. Once the war of 1812 ended many hoped that they were safe once they reached the northern states. At the time in the northern states had legislation that abolished slavery, but the locals whites felt they were threatened. That is when legislature began pass laws that restricted the rights of black people, and as such turned them into second class citizens. For example there is a story that goes on Nov 13 1824 in Providence Rhode Island, a gang of white men attacked a colored suburb and ended up leveling 11 houses, destroying goods and chattels in the process.

     Now during this time people of colour were among the first settlers in the region, in the year 1783 seven men and three women were named as slaves. But others came over as free men and women due to military service since they had served Britain. In fact at the time as example there was a Richard Pierppoint who had fought in the Revoluionary war, known as Butler`s Rangers. It was led by Colonel John Butler and as such loyalists were entitled to the same land grants as their white counterparts which many exploited. In fact they had made many petitions to the government at the time.

    The comments of one black man were as follows n regard to Canada, I like the country, the soil, as well as any country I ever saw. I like the laws, which leave a man as much freedom as a man can have, – still there is prejudice here. The coloured people are trying to remove this by improving and educating themselves, and by industry, to show that they are a people who have minds, and that all they want is cultivating. And went on to say I do not know how many coloured people are here – but last summer five hundred and twenty-five were counted leaving the four churches.