Honouring a community
Whitney Pier celebrates Black History Month
African Heritage history must to be recognized all year round, not just one month out of 12.
However, identifying the month of February as Black History month does provide us the opportunity to focus on Black history and on the people who devoted their lives to civil rights. These historic leaders are honoured for the suffering they endured while promoting racial equality.
Harbourside Elementary features displays throughout the school that will run throughout the month of February. Teachers and staff feel honoured to raise awareness around human rights and culture and how black history relates to the community of Whitney Pier.
In the 1900s there was an industrial boom in Cape Breton. This increase of jobs followed the formation of the Sydney Steel Company. It brought people from all over the world, including the West Indies to settle in Whitney Pier, an area in Sydney that was separated from the rest of the city. By 1923 the community had 600 people, giving Whitney Pier one of the largest African Nova Scotian populations outside of Halifax.
The African Nova Scotian community continued to grow in Whitney Pier and they felt the need for a church of their own. In 1928 a congregation succeeded in the erection of St. Philip’s African Orthodox Church. It still delivers weekly services today, even though other churches in the community have become extinct.
St. Philip’s African Church recently said goodbye to Father Vincent Waterman who served at the church for 33 years. Although it was sad to say goodbye, parishioners were pleased and felt very blessed to welcome Rev. Phyllis Marsh.
Whitney Pier itself is blessed. Our residents look out for one another and we are very proud of our multi-cultural community.
Growing up in the Pier as a child, I never noticed the different races in my community. The only difference was when I went to one friend’s house I
was lucky enough to sit down for an authentic lasagna dinner and at another friend’s house I was able to enjoy a delicious plate of Caribbean chicken and rice.
I was well into my late teens, before I knew what racism was. I first became aware from watching a TV program. I was shocked. I had thought every community was like the Pier. On the school grounds of Whitney school, we all played together, no matter what our race.
I sadly came to realize as an adult that Whitney Pier did not escape this poison completely either and that there was also racism in our own community.
I am, however, thankful that my childhood was sculpted in the views that my best friend was known to me as Stacey, not by the color of her skin. I would describe Whitney Pier as a bright bouquet of flowers, featuring our many cultures, all with their own colors, fragrances and meanings. I have to thank my community for teaching me that color,
race or religion does not define my family, friends and neighbors.
Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into a friend: Martin Luther King Jr.
Kim Sheppard was born and has raised her own family in Whitney Pier. She is a community volunteer and active in labour relations. She is employed with Mental Health/Addiction Services, health promotion and prevention. She can be reached at email the_piergirl@hotmail.com.