Rose, A. Report of a visit to Halifax with particular respect to Africville November 24-26, 1963
[Appendix F in Clairmont and Magill]
Terms of Reference
On September 6, 1963, the Halifax Advisory Committee on Human Rights submitted a Brief to City Council in which the following recommendation appeared (P.2) :
“ The Committee has concluded, in view in its numerous meetings and consultations, that
- The complexity of property tenure in Africville,
- The strong sense of community in Africville,
- The probable high cost of relocation arrangements likely to be acceptable mutually acceptable to Africville residents and the City of Halifax, and the apparent need for special financial arrangements, and,
- The depressed condition of housing in Africville, would warrant the City’s taking extraordinary measures.
The Committee recommends, therefore, that City Council engage a person of outstanding qualifications, in training and experience, to study Africville in depth and for the purpose of formulating specific recommendations of sound ways and means of solving problems in housing.
The Committee advises that, as a first step towards implementing its recommendation, City Council bring to Halifax a specialist who would be requested (after a preliminary survey of Africville, and discussion with City Staff, with the Halifax Advisory Committee on Human Rights, and with other resources) to state whether, in his judgement, a study in depth is indicated.” The Committee further recommend that this writer be the specific specialist invited to visit Halifax and “to state whether in his judgment, a study in depth is indicated.”
Implementation
Rose: I was enabled to read all the available staff reports on the situation in Africville, a number of magazine articles commenting upon this community, and the report of the Institute of Public Affairs: “The Conditions of the Negros of Halifax City, Nova Scotia.”
During my recent visit of some 48 hours I was able to tour the community under study and to interview or otherwise consult with the following persons or groups:
Members of the Staff, City of Halifax
Mr. Peter F. C. Byars – City Managers
Mr. Robert Grant – Director, Development Department
Mr. George F. West – Commissioner of Works
Dr. Edward M. Fogo – Commissioner of Health and Welfare
Mr. H. Bond Jones – Supervisor of Welfare
University and Community Specialists
Mr. Guy Henson – Institute of Public Affairs, Dalhousie University
Mr. Donald F. Maclean – As above
Mr. Laurie T. Hancock – Director, Maritime School of Social Work
Mr. John Horricks – Executive Secretary, Welfare Council of Halifax
Halifax Advisory Committee on Human Rights
The Halifax Advisory Committee on Human Rights convened a special meeting, attended by 13 of its members, for the purpose of considering the entire situation with the writer. This meeting, on the evening of November 25th, occupied four hours and was the most important confrontation of my visit.
The Present Situation
The community known as Africville, within the municipal boundaries of the City of Halifax, is without a one of the intensively studied communities in North America. It has been the subject, in whole or in part, of articles in Maclean’s Magazine and the United Church Observer, of radio and television programmes, and of research studies by the Institute of Public Affairs, Dalhousie University and the graduate students of the Maritime School of Social Work, Halifax. In recent years as well, the Development Department of the City has devoted a considerable effort to the study and reporting of this community.
A great many basic facts, the fundamental data required for the replanning of the area and the relocation of its residents, are already known. These data include […] the condition of all structures considered to fall within the community, whether residential or otherwise […] the number and proportion of resident families who claim to have a deed to property in Africville; and the preference of such families for relocation housing if and when their community is redeveloped by the City of Halifax for the purpose of creating a reservoir of industrial land.
As a result of the concern of the larger community of Halifax with the situation in Africville, the City Manager and the members of the civic staff have prepared a number of substantial reports concerning this community, particularly during the past eighteen months. [Beginning ca. June 1962] Reports dated July 23, 1962, September 11, 1962, November 26, 1963; January 23, 1963
