Happy Black History Month!

Feb 13, 2025

“Black History Month 2025”. Illustration of two interwoven hands with various patterns. HOPE logo. Image by the Government of Canada.

Happy Black History Month from all of us at HOPE!

Let’s celebrate the diverse communities that have always existed in Canada and around the world. It is paramount to learn our heritage and learn the history of Black resistance in Canada.

One of our featured charities in this year's HOPE Volleyball SummerFest is Upstream Ottawa. We wanted to take the opportunity to highlight Upstream's Substance Abuse Program for African Canadian and Caribbean Youth (SAPACCY). Through SAPACCY, Upstream connects Black youth with Black clinicians who provide culturally responsive mental health and substance-use health support.

This year's theme is “Black Legacy and Leadership: Celebrating Canadian History and Uplifting Future Generations.” In the spirit of this theme, we wanted to share with you one of the earliest Black communities in Canada.

Elm Hill

Elm Hill sign by EastCoastHistory is licensed by Creative Commons 4.0.

Elm Hill was a self-sufficient farming community located in New Brunswick. It was established by Black Loyalists way back in 1806. All loyalists were promised free plots of land, regardless of skin colour. Sadly, Black Loyalists were not given the same rights and consideration as their White counterparts. Many people were given plots of land that were too small to farm on but they persevered.

The community's remote location allowed the residents to live in relative peace throughout the 1800s and develop their local economy without interference. At its height, the community had a post office, a store, 2 churches, and a school which have now closed.

While some Black settlements had a shorter history thanks to discriminatory practices, Elm Hill remained a self-sufficient farming community until the 1960s when the introduction of the railroad made many residents move to urban areas for better opportunities. The community still boasts a small but mighty population. Elm Hill is the last remaining Black community in New Brunswick. There is an annual reunion in Elm Hill for the residents to reconnect and celebrate their history.