The Loyalist Connections Podcast
Introducing the Loyalist Connections Podcast: Step into a world where history comes alive, voices echo through time, and untold narratives find their voice. Welcome to the Loyalist Connections Podcast, where we discover and capture the rich heritage of the African Nova Scotian community and beyond. Hosted by Laurice Downey, and Shawn Smith our passionate duo brings their expertise and dedication to reveal the captivating stories of our ancestors, shedding light on their resourcefulness, resilience, and entrepreneurial spirit. With a commitment to promoting recognition, justice, and development, the Loyalist Connections Podcast is a gateway to discovering the diverse heritage and contributions of Black and African Nova Scotians. Tune in as we capture first-voice historical narratives and present them through captivating audio experiences. Our engaging interviews, featuring special guests and community members, provide an authentic window into the lives of those who have been historically overlooked. Join us on this exciting journey of self-discovery, as we bridge the past and present, champion change, and celebrate the indomitable spirit of Black and African Nova Scotians
Episodes
Thursday Sep 14, 2023
Yarmouth - Connections to Segregation [Director’s Cut]
Thursday Sep 14, 2023
Thursday Sep 14, 2023
Join us and our special guest Bruce Johnson who is a current resident of Yarmouth, one of the 300 African Nova Scotians residing in the County. Bruce and our hosts dive into the historic racial environment of Yarmouth where the status of Black people started as slaves, who arrived in 1760 with the New England Planters. The status of Black people in the region further shifted with the introduction of Black Loyalists. They discuss the legacy of the unwritten rules of race-based segregation that shaped and influenced how Black people existed in Yarmouth then and today.
Thursday Aug 31, 2023
Whitney Pier - Connections to the Caribbean [Director’s Cut]
Thursday Aug 31, 2023
Thursday Aug 31, 2023
Come learn about Whitney Pier with us and our special guest Bradley Sheppard. Whitney Pier was the home to several black Caribbean immigrants who came to Cape Breton in search of work for the Dominion Iron and Steel Company. This episode starts important conversations about the transportation and then planting of Black bodies to perform as surrogates in the building of communities. Additionally, if you are a fan of the late great Bob Marley there are some interesting connections made to him in this episode.
Thursday Aug 17, 2023
Beechville – Connections to Urban Development [Director’s Cut]
Thursday Aug 17, 2023
Thursday Aug 17, 2023
Join us and our special guest Dr. Barb Hamilton-Hinch as we discuss the Black settlement of Beechville. The community settled about 2000 Black refugees from the War of 1812, who arrived from Chesapeake Virginia, Bermuda, Georgia and more settled in until 1816. This episode we dive into the theft of historically Black land, given to Black communities as the scraps of their agreements with the British and then the nova Scotia government. Listen and learn as we talk about all that is lost and destroyed in white consumption of Black land.
Thursday Aug 10, 2023
Birchtown & Shelburne - Connections to the Port [Director’s Cut]
Thursday Aug 10, 2023
Thursday Aug 10, 2023
We're starting where it all began!
In this episode our hosts and their special guest Graham Nickerson discuss some of the key cultural traditions, practices and connections between the Black Loyalists that settled in Birchtown and Shelburne.
These communities were made of Black people across the region who represented different cultural, religious, and linguistic backgrounds that they transported on to their new homes. Our guest speaker passionately speaks to the resilience of once enslaved people who gained their freedom after fighting for the British.
Wednesday Jul 26, 2023
Loyalist Connections - Meet the Host
Wednesday Jul 26, 2023
Wednesday Jul 26, 2023
Loyalist Connections is a journey of rediscovery, led by hosts Shawn Smith and Laurice Downey. These two old friends want to better understand their Black Loyalist ancestors and what happened to the communities they settled. In this episode, you will get to know our hosts a little better, why they are doing this podcast, and what they hope to achieve.
![Image](https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/a9e7ev/IMG_0074.jpeg)
Loyalist Connections Podcast
Nova Scotia is home to many historical black communities due to the resettlement of Black Loyalists, The Jamaican Maroons, the Black Refugees from the war of 1812, and Caribbean Migrants. In this podcast along with our special guests, we discuss the legacy of slavery, segregation, and race-based discrimination in the region and identify how it has shaped contemporary Black communities. Through a penetrating analysis of the region's past we come to new findings and understandings of ‘who’ is African Nova Scotian and ‘what’ it means to be African Nova Scotian in the context of colonial Atlantic British North America and contemporary African Nova Scotians.