News release details
Canada takes pride in its place at the end of the Underground Railroad. We celebrate being a haven for freedom seekers who escaped slavery in the United States. But Canada also has its own long history of slavery, and the legacy of slavery lives on today.
Within this history, family homes became havens: places where abolitionists organized, escapees found refuge, and children sat at the knees of their ancestors, absorbing love, community, and memory.
Tomorrow, the Canadian Museum for Human Rights (CMHR) will open its newest permanent exhibit to the public: At the Knees of Our Ancestors: The Legacy of Slavery, confronting that long‐obscured history head‐on.
“Slavery did irrecoverable damage to our world by solidifying the concept of race and racial hierarchy into our human psyche,” said exhibit curator Alia Aluma. “This exhibit looks closely at Black history in Canada, as told by community, with community. It’s important to acknowledge the role this country played, while also celebrating the everyday moments of joy, love, and creativity that move us forward despite the systems that work against us.”
At the Knees of Our Ancestors traces Black history in Canada back to the 1600s, when African and Indigenous peoples were enslaved under French and British rule. This exhibit brings these histories into focus through objects, documents and oral histories, revealing the lives of the first Black individuals and communities who shaped the country’s early social fabric.
“Canada’s role in the transatlantic slave trade and its impact and overlapping histories on Black and Indigenous peoples has often been overlooked,” said Isha Khan, CMHR CEO. “This exhibit draws from visits to Black family homes nationwide, highlighting legacies of slavery and racism, as well as resilience and strength through personal stories and heirlooms. It’s part of our commitment to expanding relationships with Black communities and sharing their stories across Canada.”
At the Knees of Our Ancestors opens with a formal program this afternoon for invited guests, including delegates in Winnipeg for the 5th Annual National Black Summit. The exhibit opens to the public tomorrow.