ENvironmental Justice Organizing Initiative (EnJOI)
February 2009
African Nova Scotian Heritage
Alonzo Reddick lives in Lincolnville, Guysborough County, Nova Scotia. He knows the history of his community well. It’s part of his role as an “all around concerned community member” and Treasurer of the Lincolnville Community Development Association.
Lincolnville was founded on a lie. It was settled by Black Loyalists (former slaves who escaped during the American Revolution) in 1783. They were promised land by Queen Victoria. They never got it. They were driven further inland by nearby white communities, and laid claim to a “barren rocky land,” which became Lincolnville.
“Nine hundred Black Loyalists came here and in the first winter 300 died of scurvy,” Reddick says. “They were promised provisions and wood but it never showed up. Some think it was never sent. But they built log cabins with brush on the roof. They came from sunny Carolina. You can imagine what it was like. After that, many folks left and scattered all over.” Most of the dead were buried in Redhead Cemetery, by the sea.
“In 1817,” Reddick continues, “there was an awful tide in the high winds.” Already the land was eroding. No one is sure how big the Redhead plot was when the first Black Loyalists were buried there, but it is down to two acres of land. While erosion has always been a problem for the burial site, it is likely getting worse because of global warming, or what some people call “climate chaos” because it causes severe weather, like hurricanes, floods, and droughts.
From Reddick’s own measurements, the shore at Redhead loses about an inch of land every year. He figures that with climate change, and the more severe storms and flooding expected on Nova Scotia’s coasts, “it will probably erode a lot faster now.” Climate experts agree. They say that rising tides and more severe flooding will put many of Nova Scotia’s historic sites at risk.
Over the years many groups have looked at Redhead and recorded erosion. “Thirty years ago some people came down from Halifax to look at the erosion and take pictures,” Reddick says. But nothing was done about it until 2000. By then, at least half the land and many of the remains had been washed out to sea. “A couple times bones come up on the shore,” Reddick says. Finally, the community decided to solve the problem on its own.
At first they spoke with local fishermen. “They were thinking about approaching the government about a breakwater.” A breakwater is a wall built around special places on the coast to protect them from the rising ocean. The Fortress of Louisburg, a world famous tourist destination that makes millions of dollars each year, has a breakwater. “But it would have cost well over a million dollars to build,” Reddick says.
Instead the Lincolnville Community Development Association approached Giffin’s Funeral Homes. Owner Wayne Giffin knew the site well, and remembered it being much larger when he was a boy. “Wayne took it on himself, with our blessing and permission, to get all the permits,” Reddick says.
In the meantime, Reddick made more than 50 presentations to businesses, charity foundations, and to the municipality of Guysborough. He sent over a hundred written requests for funds. The community development association also held numerous fundraising functions. Together they raised $96,000. After more than a year of fundraising, in October 2001, 27 graves were moved to Goldboro Cemetery, safe from the ocean for now. A monument to the Black Loyalists was also raised there. “Webb and his wife were the only ones identified on their graves,” Reddick says. “Nobody has any idea how many bodies were lost or were originally buried in Redhead.”
Reflection Questions
This story gives an idea of the impact of climate change on different communities. How do you think climate change will impact you and your community? Will this be different than how it impacts other communities? What support does your community need from the government to deal with the impact of climate change?
For More Information
What is EnJOI?
The Environmental Justice Organizing Initiative (EnJOI) aims to build a movement for climate justice that is broad and ambitious, and rooted in a class, race, gender, and anti-colonial analysis. This national initiative reached out to communities experiencing the effects of climate change, particularly communities that are most impacted, including: Indigenous people, people of colour, poor and working class people, women, youth, and the global South.
The first job of EnJOI was to organize workshops in BC, Ontario, Nova Scotia (held Spring 2008), and northern Alberta that brings together people who want to learn more about climate change and become active around climate justice.
A national forum will be held to gather ideas and suggestions for how we can support other communities. EnJOI has received financial support from the McConnell Foundation (www.mcconnellfoundation.ca) for this one-year project.
What is climate justice?
- Principles of Climate Justice (www.ejnet.org/ej/bali.pdf). Twenty-seven principles of climate justice (August 2002).
- Principles of Environmental Justice (www.ejnet.org/ej/principles.html). Seventeen principles of environmental justice.
Climate Change and Health
- Health Canada (www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ewh-semt/climat/index-eng.php) discusses the connections between climate change and health issues.
- Natural Resources Canada (http://adaptation.nrcan.gc.ca/posters/ac/ac_04_e.php)
More information on climate change
- Natural Resources Canada (http://adaptation.nrcan.gc.ca/posters/cc_e.php)
How can I learn more about climate change?
- Ecology Action Centre (www.ecologyaction.ca) (902) 429-2202
Programs: climate change, coastal issues, marine issues, built environment, energy, food, transportation, and wilderness
- Clean Nova Scotia (www.clean.ns.ca/ (902) 420-3474
Programs: home energy reduction, water reduction, pesticide use, climate change
Other Resources
- Alberta Tar Sands: http://www.dominionpaper.ca/tarsands
- Durban Group for Climate Justice: http://www.carbontradewatch.org/durban/
- Race and Waste in Nova Scotia: http://www.dominionpaper.ca/environment/2006/12/07/race_and_w.html
Story prepared by: Chris Benjamin
Resources and NS EnJOI Contact: Satya Ramen
