Mark the Abolishment of Slavery
in the British Empire, including Canada, with

Two Events from the United Church:
Panel Discussion and Worship Service

Image Credit: Tumisu, Pixabay

Emancipation Day celebrates freedom for people of African descent and ended slavery for all people in the British Empire. It reaffirms that all people should be treated as human beings.  In 2021, the government of Canada federally recognized August 1, as Emancipation Day, and the month of August, as Emancipation Month.  It marks the actual day in 1834 that the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 came into effect across the British Empire.  More information can be found here.

Panel Discussion:  “Emancipated, But Still Working for Freedom”
Sunday, July 31st at 4:30 pm PDT via Zoom

The panel discussion was recorded and is available to watch here.

This 90-minute event will be moderated by Adele Halliday, Anti-Racism and Equity Lead at the General Council Office, with panelists:

• Dr. Charmaine Nelson, Professor of Art History and a Tier I Canada Research Chair in Transatlantic Black Diasporic Art and Community Engagement at Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD) University.
• Dr. Carol B. Duncan, Professor of Religion and Culture at Wilfrid Laurier University.
• Russel Burns, entrepreneur and member of the National Indigenous Council of The United Church of Canada.  [unable to attend]
• Dr. Pedro Welch, retired Deputy Principal of the University of the West Indies (UWI) and former Dean, Faculty of Humanities and Education, and Professor of Social and Medical History in the Department of History and Philosophy at the UWI.

Register to attend the Panel Discussion with the Black Clergy Network at this link.

Worship Service:  “Working Towards Freedom”
Monday, August 1st at 8:00 am PDT via YouTube Live Stream

The Black Clergy Network is hosting a special online worship service marking the 188th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the British Empire.

The observation of Emancipation Day celebrates an important milestone in Canada’s journey for human rights.  All are invited to join in worship to remember, commemorate, and honour.

~ adapted from information found on The United Church of Canada website here and here
and on the Government of Canada website here.