A motion calling on the Nova Scotia government to help erect community entrance signs in all 52 historic African Nova Scotian communities has passed unanimously in the House of Assembly.
Halifax Needham MLA Suzy Hansen introduced the motion on Friday, September 18, calling for year-round recognition of the history and continued importance of African Nova Scotian communities across the province.
“African Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the history, culture, and leadership of African Nova Scotians,” Hansen said while introducing the motion.
She added that the province’s 52 African Nova Scotian communities “continue to show the power of community every day of the year, not just during African Heritage Month.”
Hansen’s motion called on the government to “immediately act to help African Nova Scotian communities erect signs in their communities to proudly display their place in this province.”
The motion passed with all-party support and without debate.
According to reporting by The Canadian Press, Hansen said afterward that she was “overjoyed” by the unanimous support and described the signs as an important step in recognizing African Nova Scotians as a distinct people in the province.
African Nova Scotian Affairs has also said the department is engaging communities on the design and wording of the signs so they reflect each community’s history and identity.
Signs already carry meaning in some communities
Community entrance signs already exist in some African Nova Scotian communities.
Earlier this year, Upper Hammonds Plains unveiled a new community sign reflecting the history, identity and African Nova Scotian heritage of the community.
The new sign was developed with community input and replaced an earlier landmark sign at the entrance to Upper Hammonds Plains.
The community has described the sign as more than a marker for people driving through. It represents belonging, history and the connection generations of residents have maintained to Upper Hammonds Plains.
Other historic African Nova Scotian communities, including North Preston, also have long-standing entrance signage.
The new province-wide initiative could mean more consistent recognition across all 52 communities, including communities where that history is less visible to people travelling through them.
What happens next
The motion itself does not spell out how much funding will be provided, what the signs will look like, or when they will be installed.
Those details will matter.
The government says communities will be involved in decisions around design and wording, which could allow individual communities to determine how their history and identity are represented rather than applying a single generic design across the province.
