Roots of Alientation

“The Africville portion of Campbell Road will always be an industrial district and it is desirable that industrial operations should be assisted in any way that is not prejudicial to the interests of the public; in fact, we may be obliged in the future to consider the interest of the industry first.”
– Minutes of Halifax City Council, December 9, 1915 p. 211

The late 19th century saw a growing population and encroachment of industry on Africville – a large oil plant/storage complex, a bone-mill plant manufacturing fertilizer, a cotton factory and rolling mill/nail factory, two slaughterhouses, a port facility handling coal, a tar factory, a shoe plant where leather was tanned, several stone crushing industries and a foundry – most of which came into the area long after Africville was first settled.

The 1871 Census of Halifax showed 36% of men of African descent listed as labourers, 22% as seamen and most of the rest as truckmen, porters, masons, coopers, carpenters or barbers. A significant number of Africville people worked as domestics, cleaners and porters. The 1871 Census listed an “African” female workforce of approximately 75.

While there was very little farming due to non-arable land at Africville, its residents were well situated for fishing and port-related employment, though fishing was non-commercial.

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