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Last Days In Africville

Elementary, Middle

Description

The African Canadian village located just north of Halifax is a place of stark contrasts in the 1960's.  Industries mar the natural beauty while wretched living conditions are overpowered by the gentleness of the Africville residents.  For Selina, who experiences daily racism as the only black child in her sixth grade class, her grandmother’s Africville home provides the sanctuary that helps her weather the storms of bigotry and prejudice.  However, this tiny seaside community is under attack and the human costs of marginalization are powerfully depicted by Selina and her family as they are faced with leaving their home, their people and their history.

General Assessment

Recommendation of how and where to use it

This book supports social and cultural diversity learning outcomes as students engage in a reading experience from which they are able to discuss historical viewpoints related to racism and prejudice.  The citizens of Africville owned their land and paid taxes yet the popular perception of the time was that the village and its residents were valueless.  Students can use this information to analyze how stereotypes are formed and compare Africville to present day marginalized communities. 

The land expropriation theme is contentious and could form the basis of a class project that investigates its social, economic and environmental consequences.  Some of our National Parks (eg. Kouchibouguac in NB) were partially developed using this process.  Students could examine maps, written/oral citizen accounts and natural history records to prepare a cost benefit case study.

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Themes Addressed

Human Rights (3)

  • Cultural Diversity
  • Poverty
  • Social Justice

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