Emancipation Celebration Monument Committee Seeks Stories And Photos Highlighting Emancipation Day History In Windsor

The Emancipation Celebration Monument Committee is launching a public call for stories, memories, reflections, and historic photos connected to the history of Emancipation Day Celebrations in Windsor.

On March 24th, 2021, the House of Commons voted unanimously to officially designate August 1 as Emancipation Day. It marks the actual day in 1834 that the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833 came into effect across the British Empire. Emancipation Day celebrates the strength and perseverance of Black communities in Canada.

Emancipation Day celebrations first took place from the turn of the 20th century through to the 1970s. Locally, the celebrations began with a large parade that started in Dieppe Gardens and made its way to Jackson Park, ending at the original bandstand. Upwards of 250,000 spectators came and lined the streets of Windsor, with many Americans in the audience, making this the largest event of its kind in North America.

Not only were the local Emancipation Day celebrations well attended by residents and neighbours, but they also attracted the attention and participation of Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and Olympian Jessie Owens as keynote speakers, along with celebrities such as “Smoking Joe” Louis and Diana Ross and the Supremes. The 1967 Race Riots in Detroit dramatically affected the attendance of the festival, and it was eventually moved to Mic Mac Park. The celebrations have since been resurrected in the community through the efforts of various community organizations and partners.

In 2012, City Council approved the development of a monument to commemorate the rich and storied history of Emancipation Day celebrations in Windsor, and to honour the significance of this rich history.

At that time,  community fundraising goals were not realized, and the project stalled. In 2023, Joi Hurst stepped up and has since been working behind the scenes on this important project. In partnership with the City, local artists, and community stakeholders, Hurst hopes to see the vision for this monument brought to life at Jackson Park, where the City has identified a section of parkland connected to the history of Emancipation Day in Windsor.

If you have stories or photos connected to the history of Emancipation Day celebrations in Windsor that you would like to share, you are asked to email [email protected] between August 1st, 2025, and October 1st, 2025. The committee plans to incorporate these stories and images as part of the overall design process for this project.

Following the public consultation, design and development, and a public fundraising campaign to be rolled out by the committee, the City hopes to see work underway on the site and the monument in 2026.