File this one in the 'learn something interesting everyday' file...

I was watching the CBC Windsor News on 9 tonight and they had an item on Emancipation Day in Canada, which is a holiday. A small ceremony was held before the Windsor Underground Railroad monument today. The holiday celebrates the abolition of slavery in the British Empire, and hence Canada which was a part of the Empire, on that date in 1834.

In the historical background, Windsor was cited as being famous for holding Emancipation Day rallies in the early and mid 20th Century which attracted tens of thousands of Afro- Americans as well as Afro-Canadians. Huge rallies were held at Jackson Park and large parades marched through the streets of Windsor. Many luminaries, including Martin Luther King and Dorthothy Dandridge among others, attended.



The most amazing note, to me, was that it was cancelled due to 'security concerns' following the 1967 Detroit riots which, of course, would have occurred just prior to the holiday that year. Sound familiar? It would only resumed in 1969, according to this informative site from which the images displayed here are called. However attendance plummeted and the event was move to Amherstberg. It would be 40 years before it returned to Windsor according to the CBC report.



It appears that Windsor lost a very prestigious and lucrative event as a result of the security concern. The current event seemed very diminished by comparison. One would thinkd the city would try to re-energize and promote "The Greatest Freedom Show on Earth".