Voices of Freedom | Black History of Niagara-on-the-Lake

To understand the deep history of Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL) we must give a voice to those who are often excluded from the stories of the past. Voices of Freedom gives a stage to the voices of people of African descent, both the enslaved and the free whose talents, skills, and labour contributed to the development of the Town. Follow the tour to explore significant Black history sites and listen to the voices of the Black men and women who contributed to the historical and cultural landscape of the Town. Listen as they share their stories, experiences and journeys throughout history in the heart of Niagara-on-the-Lake.      
 
Follow the suggested route or plan your own path as you explore Black history throughout the Town. This tour may also be accessed online.  
 
OFFLINE OPTION

You can preload the tour to your smartphone. This will allow you to access the tour and locations without being connected to the internet. For internet access (to preload the tour, map and all the information) please visit the Niagara Historical Society & Museum at 43 Castlereagh Street, Niagara-on-the-Lake.  
 
Some locations are private properties. Please view the homes from the sidewalk.  
 
Note that the last point, Tanbark Road, is best accessed by car.  
 

CREDITS

Produced by Town of Niagara on-the-Lake.
 
Historical Consultation, Research, and text by Natasha Henry. With a Special Thank You to Nancy Butler for her research and guidance on this project.  

Voices of Freedom Script written and directed by Barbara Worthy.

In the Cast: Vanya Abrahams, Juliet Dunn, Allan Louis, Patrick McManus, Sarah Rowe, and André Sills. 

Original music provided by Danielle Marconi, Joe Lapinski, and the 41st Regiment of Foot, Fife and Drum Corps.

Vocals provided by Vanya Abrahams, Juliet Dunn, Sarah Rowe, and Allan Louis.  

Recording Engineer: Joe Lapinski.  

Recorded at Wow! Recording Studio and Creative Music Space, St. Catharines ON. 

This tour was generously funded by The Ontario Trillium Foundation and the Niagara Community Foundation. 

A special thank you to the Niagara Historical Society & Museum and The Voices of Freedom Education Committee.  

Voices of Freedom Education Committee: Shawna Butts, Donna Ford, Natasha Henry, Sarah Kaufman, Hillary Kerr, Amy Klassen, Alexis Spieldenner, Kevin Turcotte, George Webber, Barbara Worthy.