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==British policy toward American blacks==
==British policy toward American blacks==
Because of British disdain towards the Nova Scotians, the British would no longer sanction mass immigration of black Americans. When the Elizabeth from New York arrived with 82 b Americans, the British did not permit them to land or settle in Freetown. These black Americans, led by [[Daniel Coker]], were offered land to settle in [[Sherbro]] by [[John Kizell (Sierra Leone)|John Kizell]] an African born Nova Scotian settler. After the terrible conditions for the settlers at Sherbro, they were moved to land in the [[Grain Coast]]; the black Americans who moved there in 1820 were the first settlers of what would be [[Liberia]]. No other blacks from Nova Scotia were ever brought to Freetown under the auspices of the [[Sierra Leone Company]].
Because of British disdain towards the Nova Scotians,who were becoming americian before america was a country the British would no longer sanction mass immigration of black Americans. When the Elizabeth from New York arrived with 82 b Americans, the British did not permit them to land or settle in Freetown. These black Americans, led by [[Daniel Coker]], were offered land to settle in [[Sherbro]] by [[John Kizell (Sierra Leone)|John Kizell]] an African born Nova Scotian settler. After the terrible conditions for the settlers at Sherbro, they were moved to land in the [[Grain Coast]]; the black Americans who moved there in 1820 were the first settlers of what would be [[Liberia]]. No other blacks from Nova Scotia were ever brought to Freetown under the auspices of the [[Sierra Leone Company]].


==Relationship with Black Nova Scotians and black Americans==
==Relationship with Black Nova Scotians and black Americans==

Revision as of 05:55, 22 August 2010

The Nova Scotian Settlers (also known as the Nova Scotians or Settlers) were black Americans who escaped to the British during the Revolutionary War.[1] John Clarkson, the English abolitionist and first governor of Freetown, was the most respected friend and patron of the Nova Scotian settlers. Thomas Jefferson referred to these people as "the fugitives from these States".[2] Nearly two thirds of the Nova Scotian settlers were from Virginia. The second largest group of settlers were from South Carolina, and a smaller number were from Maryland, Georgia, and North Carolina. Visitors to Sierra Leone could easily tell a Nova Scotian from other ethnic groups because of their American accents; many of them spoke Gullah, which is common in the Sea Islands of Georgia and South Carolina.[3]

The Nova Scotians were the single greatest Western influence on the development of Freetown, Sierra Leone and their legacy remains there till this day.[citation needed] Some of their descendants live in the former Settler Town; they comprise 7% of Sierra Leone Creole people. All Nova Scotians were formerly slaves or descendants of slaves, almost all from the newly established United States. The Nova Scotian settlers have been the subject of many social science books, and are considered the founders of the first free permanent black American colony in Africa. The Nova Scotians brought 'America' to Africa and despite being the second group of ex-slaves to settle in Sierra Leone, they were considered the most influential.

The Krio language and "bod oses" of their modern day descendants, the Creoles, are considered to be one of the cultural imprints of the Settlers brought from the American South.

Background and immigration to Nova Scotia

After the British lost the War of Independence, 3,000 black Americans were evacuated to Nova Scotia and their names were recorded in the Book of Negroes. The majority of the settlers had been in America for two, three or four generations. Some of the settlers were of Native American or European ancestry; at least fifty were born in Africa. Many Nova Scotian blacks intermarried with Europeans while living in Sierra Leone. The Nova Scotians' political ideology of a democratic government was at odds with the Sierra Leone Company's imperialistic colony. Despite referring to themselves as the Settlers Nova Scotians in Sierra Leone, Afro American is what the 'Nova Scotians' really were.[4] The 1783 black settlers (who encompass the Nova Scotians) were American blacks.

Life in Nova Scotia

Upon arrival in Nova Scotia, the settlers were treated as badly as the slaves. Some of the black Americans whose slave owners were American Loyalists were still under slavery. Their descendants comprised the Black Nova Scotians, a contingent of Black Canadians. In 1792, nearly 1,200 (approximately 1,192) Black American settlers left Halifax, Nova Scotia and immigrated to Sierra Leone. The Settlers spoke Gullah and African American Vernacular English. The Nova Scotians were the only mass group of black Americans to immigrate to Sierra Leone under the auspices of the British; it was decided that because of the attitude of the Nova Scotians no other American blacks would be allowed to immigrate in large groups to Sierra Leone.

Fifteen ships (containing the largest fleet of blacks in history) left Halifax Harbour on January 15, 1792 and arrived in Sierra Leone between February 28-March 9, 1792.

Settler Town

Upon reaching Sierra Leone in 1792, the Nova Scotians founded and established Free Town (later on when the Maroons immigrated the Settler part of Freetown was known as Settler Town, Sierra Leone) based upon the town of the American South, which was in close proximity to Cline Town, Sierra Leone or then, Granville Town. Eighty percent of Nova Scotians lived on five streets: Rawdon, Wilberforce, Howe, East, and Charlotte street. Seventy percent of Maroons lived on five streets: Glouchester, George, Trelawney, Walpole, and Westmoreland street. The main Nova Scotian churches were in Settler Town; Rawdon Street Methodist Church was one of the main churches Methodist churches. The modern day Ebenezer Methodist Church is an offshoot of Rawdon Methodist; it was founded by wealthy Nova Scotians. Many Settler families were forced to sell their land because of debt; families such as the Balls, the Burdens, the Chambers, the Dixons, the Georges (descendants of David George), the Keelings, the Leighs, the Moores, the Peters (descendants of Thomas Peters), the Prestons, the Snowballs, the Staffords, the Turners, the Willoughsby, the Zizers, the Williams, and the Goodings. Some descendants of James Wise and other settlers were able to keep their land in Settler Town.

Relationship with Granville Town settlers

The Granville Town settlers (Cline Town, Sierra Leone) were initially separate from the Nova Scotian community. After Methodist teaching to the Granville Town settlers, they were slowly incorporated into the black Americans society of the Nova Scotians. Nova Scotians like Boston King were schoolteachers were to the children of Granville Town settlers. However up until 1800, the 'Old Settlers' as the Granville Towners were called, remained in their town.

French Attack

During the French war with England, the French attacked and burned Freetown. The Settlers offered the only resistance to the French during this time period. The settlers assured the French they were Americans and were friends of the French. Despite showing they were Americans, the French still carried off two Nova Scotian boys as slaves. Zachary Macauley demanded all the supplies the Nova Scotians had managed to take from the French back. Many a Methodist preacher declared it was the judgment of God against their evil caucasian oppressors. The aftermath of this resulted in Nathaniel Snowball and Luke Jordan establishing their own colony on Pirate's Bay to live as free men just as the 'Ezerlites.

Trade

The Nova Scotians were exceptional traders and some of the houses they built in Settler Town, which were initially built of wood with stone foundations, were renovated or upgraded into stone houses. At this time, the Nova Scotians lived in Eastern Freetown and the Jamaican Maroons were situated in Western Freetown. The Maroons were still distinct but became a more solid group and adopted some Nova Scotians values and customs. The Maroons became a cohesive trading unit, they displaced the Nova Scotians as the main traders in Sierra Leone in the 1820s. Nova Scotian traders such as Cato Preston, Eli Ackim, William Easmon, and John Kizell were forced to give up their homes because of business ventures gone wrong. In the 1826 census about half of the Nova Scotian males were skilled artisans and only three were listed as unskilled workers. Initially, the Nova Scotians were allowed to use the American currency of dollars and cents by the Sierra Leone Company; however, this changed when the company wanted to be rid of the 'American' ways of the Settlers. Trade was opened up with the United States in 1831,[5] and many Nova Scotians would eventually return to their homeland in the United States, after the rise of the Liberated Africans.

Culture

The Settlers had dance nights called 'Koonking' or 'Koonken' or 'Konken,' where Settler maidens would sing songs they brought from Colonial America or songs originating in Sierra Leone satirizing Europeans. The majority of Settlers spoke with a Southern dialect and one could easily tell they were from the American South[citation needed]. many Nova Scotians drank alcohol heavily and David George and David Edmonds kept alehouses in the 1790s. Nova Scotian women were independent and some established schools and acted as schoolteachers.[citation needed] Extramarital affairs were also prominent in the community and many Nova Scotian men had mistresses and they provided for their illegitimate children; many times they left land and property for them in their wills.

The majority of Nova Scotians were Methodist; a smaller minority were Baptist. One half to two thirds of the Nova Scotians were Methodist; the former Anglican settlers converted to Methodism and the Methodists incorporated Moses Wilkinson's congregation, Boston King's congregation, and Joseph Leonard's Anglican congregation which was openly Methodist.

British policy toward American blacks

Because of British disdain towards the Nova Scotians,who were becoming americian before america was a country the British would no longer sanction mass immigration of black Americans. When the Elizabeth from New York arrived with 82 b Americans, the British did not permit them to land or settle in Freetown. These black Americans, led by Daniel Coker, were offered land to settle in Sherbro by John Kizell an African born Nova Scotian settler. After the terrible conditions for the settlers at Sherbro, they were moved to land in the Grain Coast; the black Americans who moved there in 1820 were the first settlers of what would be Liberia. No other blacks from Nova Scotia were ever brought to Freetown under the auspices of the Sierra Leone Company.

Relationship with Black Nova Scotians and black Americans

The Nova Scotian settlers bore children during their nine year tenure in Nova Scotia; these children called themselves Black Nova Scotians but retained many cultural habits similar to black Americans. The descendants of the Nova Scotian settlers (who make up a small percent of the Sierra Leone Creole people) are the related to both Black Nova Scotians and black Americans.

Notable Nova Scotian settlers

Descendants of the settlers

See also

References

External links