Africville
by Shauntay Grant (Author) Eva Campbell (Illustrator)
When a young girl visits the site of Africville, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the stories she's heard from her family come to mind. She imagines what the community was once like --the brightly painted houses nestled into the hillside, the field where boys played football, the pond where all the kids went rafting, the bountiful fishing, the huge bonfires.
Coming out of her reverie, she visits the present-day park and the sundial where her great- grandmother's name is carved in stone, and celebrates a summer day at the annual Africville Reunion/Festival. Africville was a vibrant Black community for more than 150 years. But even though its residents paid municipal taxes, they lived without running water, sewers, paved roads and police, fire-truck and ambulance services. Over time, the city located a slaughterhouse, a hospital for infectious disease, and even the city garbage dump nearby. In the 1960s, city officials decided to demolish the community, moving people out in city dump trucks and relocating them in public housing.
Today, Africville has been replaced by a park, where former residents and their families gather each summer to remember their community.
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Kirkus Reviews
The writing is spare but emotional, and the art brings the community to life.... A loving tribute to a history that should not be forgotten.
School Library Journal
K-Gr 2--This story celebrates the beauty and joy of the community seen through a child's eyes. Africville was a Black community in Halifax, Nova Scotia, that was settled during the American Revolutionary War, and provided a haven for those fleeing slavery during the War of 1812. Despite its rich history and equal contributions to taxes, the residents of Africville were denied equal services and the community was treated as a literal dumping ground, culminating in forcible relocation and its razing in the 1960s. The spirit of the community could not be broken; there is an annual reunion festival, and the City of Halifax has apologized and offered compensation to former residents. The narrator delights in the festivities, from the hills ripe with blueberries to rafting on the pond. There is both pride and longing expressed in the lyrical text, and the vibrant colors and friendly compositions of the oil and pastel illustrations immerse readers in this community. VERDICT This poetic ode to a place lost in time is an excellent choice for general reading and classroom sharing, and a must-purchase regionally.--Anna Haase Krueger, Ramsey County Library, MN
Copyright 2018 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.Candice Bradley was born in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her fondest childhood memories are of drawing and dancing to Disney classics. She dreamt of either becoming a ballerina at Juilliard or an animator at Cal Arts. Although circumstances would prevent her from pursuing either, she didn't stop there. To fund her own education, she decided to offer services as an illustrator, and thus began her journey as a picture book artist. Bradley's hope as an illustrator is to support the movement of writers redeeming the narrative for minorities and people of color. She is also the illustrator of Snowy Mittens. She lives in Atlanta with her family.
JUV016180 - Juvenile Fiction | Historical | Canada - Post-Confederation (1867-)
JUV030030 - Juvenile Fiction | People & Places | Canada - General
JUV070000 - Juvenile Fiction | Poetry (see also Stories in Verse)
JUV016160 - Juvenile Fiction | Historical | Canada - General
Social life and customs
Nova Scotia
Halifax
Africville (Halifax, N.S.)
Halifax (N.S.)
