Gritty City Theatre Company

The Canadian Slavery Project Research!

CSP attends this special event on July 8th 2023. The recognition of Chloe Cooley and a painting of her by Wayne Moore at Voices of Freedom Park in Niagara-on-the-Lake.Great talk by Rochelle Bush!

"On March 14, 1793 Chloe Cooley, an enslaved Black woman in Queenston, was bound, thrown in a boat and sold across the river to a new owner in the United States. Her screams and violent resistance were brought to the attention of Lieutenant Governor John Graves Simcoe by Peter Martin, a free Black and former soldier in Butler's Rangers, and William Grisley, a neighbour who witnessed the event. Simcoe immediately moved to abolish slavery in the new province. He was met with opposition in the House of Assembly, some of whose members owned slaves. A compromise was reached and on July 9, 1793 an Act was passed that prevented the further introduction of slaves into Upper Canada and allowed for the gradual abolition of slavery although no slaves already residing in the province were freed outright. It was the first piece of legislation in the British Empire to limit slavery and set the stage for the great freedom movement of enslaved African Americans known as the Underground Railroad."

--- Ontario Heritage Trust

This event was sponsored by the Niagara-on-the-lake Museum!!
CSP Team: Justin Carter, Melissa Murray-Mutch, Amanda Hinkle Wallace and Mason Haigh

Spadina Museum - May 2023

Canadian Slavery Project collective goes on a field trip to the Spadina Museum to learn about Louisa Pipkin, a runaway enslaved woman from Baltimore, Md., who thanks to the Underground Railroad found herself frees on original Indigenous land working as a laundress for the Austin Family house.This exhibit imagines Ms.Pipkin as the owner of this home with her own items and her choice of art. An enlightening visit including an iconic portrait of Louisa Pipkin and a series of new portraits of members of the Black community by lead artist Gordon Shadrach.