Draft:Black Loyalist Heritage Society

The Black Loyalist Heritage Society, based out of Birchtown, Nova Scotia, is an organization dedicated to preserving and sharing the history of Black Loyalists in North America.

History of the Society
The Society originated in 1989, in Shelburne, Nova Scotia, where a group of descendants of the original Black settlers in the area met to discuss the history of Black Loyalists. They decided to work to ensure these histories were not forgotten. They gathered personal family histories as well as relevant broader histories on Black Loyalists in the region. In 1991, the group officially incorporated as the Shelburne Country Cultural Awareness Society. In 1999, they changed their name to the Black Loyalist Heritage Society to better reflect their goals and projects.

In 2006, the main office of the Society was set on fire in an arson attack. Many of the Society’s archives and significant historical papers were lost in the fire. In response to this, the Society was determined to build a new centre that could safeguard and commemorate the history and contributions of Black Loyalists.

Black Loyalist Heritage Centre
In 2015, the Black Loyalist Heritage Centre opened in Birchtown, Nova Scotia. The site houses the Society's main offices, as well as a museum. Exhibits include a gallery, a archaeological pit, and a Black Loyalist Heritage trail leading to the Black Burial Grounds.