Black History

From about 1830 to the end of the American Civil War, escaped slaves made their way across the Canada-U.S. border through the Underground Railroad, a secret route that led to freedom. (There was no actual railroad involved). Many were headed for the Village of Sydenham (Owen Sound), the last "terminal" of the railroad, and settled here, finding work and raising families.

With the arrival of the earliest settlers such as Richard Ringo and John "Daddy" Hall, the City's first town crier, Black people have worked hard to make a place for themselves where they could live and raise their children in freedom and peace.

In honour of these settlers, a commemorative cairn in Harrison Park was unveiled on July 31, 2004 at the annual Emancipation festival and picnic. The picnic has been held every year since 1862, always on the first weekend in August, marking the anniversary of the British Emancipation Act of August 1, 1834. It is believed to be the longest-running Emancipation event in North America.

Grey Roots Museum & Archives currently has an exhibit, Black Roots in Grey, that outlines the steady progress made by Black community members to gain a foothold in their communities, despite prejudice and discrimination.

The exhibit honours such local Black figures as former Owen Sound Mayor and Ontario MP Ovid Jackson, musician and entertainer Tommy Earlls, and others. It also outlines the early beginnings of the Emancipation Picnic and follows its growth and evolution into the three day weekend celebration many of us know as the Emancipation Festival. The exhibit will be on display until at least May, 2017.

Owen Sound's Historic Walking Tour includes several stops that help illustrate the city's Black history, including the Kennedy Foundry site, Molock House, the British Methodist Episcopal Church, Pettigrow/Urquhart house, the Farmer's Market building, Tone Yoga Studio (a former Congregational Church) and Harrison Park.