Black organizations hold Grand Emancipation Parade in downtown Halifax

Music, speeches and poetry filled downtown Halifax Saturday afternoon as part of the city's inaugural modern-day Grand Emancipation Parade.

People from Black organizations from across Nova Scotiatook part in the event,some waving flags from their home countries.

After gathering in the downtown,people moved to the Halifax Commonfor a picnic next to the Emera Oval.

Emancipation Daycommemorates enactment of the Abolition Act which came into effect Aug. 1, 1834. It freedmore than 800,000 people of African descent in Canada and throughout the British Empire.

It was officially celebrated for the first time in Canada on Aug. 1 of this year.But groups have been encouraged to hold commemorative events throughout the month.

Funmi Joseph is one of the co-founders of the United African Canadian Women's Association that organized the event with the help of African Nova Scotian Affairs.

"The theme is understanding our past and uplifting our future," she said. "So, it's recognition of what's happened and then to celebrate and honour the memories of those [in the past], and here, too."

Joseph plans for this parade to become an annual event.

"We are here and we are not going anywhere," said Joseph.

For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of.You can read more stories here.