EXPLORING THE ‘BOG’
Federal money helps bring festival to Charlottetown to share its black history
Federal money helps bring festival to Charlottetown to share its black history
A new festival that celebrates black history in Charlottetown is coming to the capital city this summer.
With the help of $15,000 from Canadian Heritage, through the Canada 150 fund, the Black Cultural Society of P.E.I. announced the initial details of Festival for the Bog on Monday.
A specific date wasn’t announced on Monday, but the consensus was that it would happen on a Saturday in July.
Jim Hornby, who wrote a book about Charlottetown’s black history 25 years ago and is working on another one, will conduct a tour as part of the festival.
Hornby said the “bog” refers to the west end of Charlottetown where the city’s black population lived.
“(The tour) is going to start in the area of Euston Street and Rochford (Square),’’ Hornby said. “We’re basically doing a walking tour. We’re going to get police assistance to close the street.’’
The tour will include a historical map to indicate where people lived, but Hornby already has a pretty good idea himself.
“I pretty well know where everybody lived with all of the research that I’ve done.’’
He said Charlottetown’s black population was at its highest around 1867.
“That was the peak of the community. Like a lot of Islanders, they moved down to the Boston states in that period.’’
Hornby said he’s happy the “bog” is finally getting its due attention.
“The main part of it is to recognize and acknowledge that not only was there a black community but it was really a mixed race. They gradually became invisible due to racial mixing, and black characteristics became less prominent.’’
Hornby said his next book will also centre on black history and will be called “Black Islanders: Prince Edward Island’s Historical Black Community’’.
“There hasn’t been much acknowledgement since my book came out,’’ he said, adding that he tried unsuccessfully to get a plaque put in the west end.
Scott Parsons, president of the Black Cultural Society of P.E.I., said events that centre around black history ignite great discussions.
“Last year at The Wave we had a full house, and it was a really interesting discussion,’’ Parsons said.
“A microphone gets passed around to students, and there were some very well educated young people here and they had some interesting things to say.’’
People will have a chance to say their peace at Festival for the Bog.
The walking tour will wrap up with a stage and some music and people will be invited to speak.
“We want to invite descendants of people who lived in the bog to an open mike format on the stage; share memories (and) comments; try to record and capture that.’’