Emancipation Day has been celebrated every August 1 in Black communities in Canada since the 1850s. But in 2021, Members of Parliament voted unanimously to designate August 1 as the official date to recognize Emancipation Day nationally.

Emancipation Day is not just about celebrating the abolition of slavery – it’s also about pausing and reflecting on what it took to reach Emancipation Day.

In Canada, Indigenous peoples were the first to be enslaved in the 16^th century. After 1760, Black people who were brought here through the transatlantic slave trade became the predominant enslaved group in Canada. That’s more than 200 years where the enslavement of Black and Indigenous peoples in Canada was considered the norm.

When the Slavery Abolition Act was first introduced in the British Empire – few enslaved people benefited from it. In fact, the Act included monetary reparations, not to the enslaved persons, but to the slave owners. And only slaves below the age of six were freed while those over six years old were still required to work as “apprentices” for more than 40 hours a week with no pay. Full emancipation wasn’t achieved until July 31, 1838.

The effects of Canada’s history with slavery are still felt to this day with continued systemic racism and inequities experienced by Black and Indigenous peoples. Discrimination in hiring practices, wage gaps, microaggressions, and other inequities continue to be the reality for many Indigenous and Black workers. Just last year, Black federal public service workers took to the Privy Council Offices to hold their employer accountable for the many instances of anti-Black racism they’ve faced in the workplace.

Attaining true liberation continues to be a fight for the descendants of enslaved persons in Canada. With the goal of bringing awareness to Canada’s troubling and racist past, and the resilient journey of Black and Indigenous communities, PSAC encourages you to take the opportunity to reflect on the atrocities that necessitate a day like Emancipation Day. Today is your reminder to do the work – both individually and collectively – to move towards a more inclusive Canada.

Here's how you can take action this Emancipation Day:

• Learn more about Black History in Canada with the Canadian Encyclopedia:
  
  The Canadian Encyclopedia offers a digital learning centre where you can read articles about Black history in Canada, explore a detailed timeline of our Black history, take a Black history quiz, and much more.
   
• Read this article on Enslavement of Indigenous People on Canada:

  Familiarize yourself with the hidden history of slavery of Indigenous Peoples in Canada.

• Connect with the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists (CBTU):
  
  Join the collective voice of Black workers within the labour movement to challenge organized labour to be more relevant to the needs and aspirations of Black workers.
  
  The CBTU offers voluntary memberships to active or retired union members. They also accept donations to help support their mission. PSAC encourages all members to engage CBTU in their local's activities.
   
• Sign up to stay up to date on PSAC’s human rights and anti-racism work.