To the MSVU community,
This Saturday, August 1 is Emancipation Day.
“Emancipation Day is the day that The Slavery Abolition Act became law in the British Empire (including Canada) and ended the practice of slavery for millions of African People and their descendants around the world. The Act became law on August 1, 1834 marking the first Emancipation Day.” (Source: The Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia)
Understanding our past helps us better understand our communities today and is critical to building a more equitable and inclusive future. In that spirit, I invite you to join the following events.
Emancipate Your Mind: Panel discussion
On August 9, the Delmore ‘Buddy’ Daye Learning Institute’s Together We Rise Initiative, in partnership with the Nova Scotia Advisory Council on the Status of Women, the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia, Mount Saint Vincent University, and the MSVU Art Gallery, will present a free community conversation about living Africentrically. Open to all, the session is part of Emancipate Your Mind, a four-part series led by the DBDLI in recognition of Emancipation Day.
When: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on August 9, 2026
Where: the Auditorium in the Seton Academic Centre at MSVU
Moderated by Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard CM, ONS, an alumna of MSVU and honorary degree recipient, the discussion will bring together local voices, lived experiences, and diverse perspectives to explore what it means to live Africentrically while reflecting on the legacy and ongoing significance of Emancipation Day.
The speakers at the August 9 event at MSVU will include:
- Dr. Susan Brigham, Faculty of Education, MSVU
- Dr. Maki Motapanyane, Department of Women’s Studies, MSVU
- Trondez Sparks
- Micah Anderson
To register for the in-person event, please contact Savannah Provo (savannah.provo@dbdli.ca). The conversation will also be livestreamed by the Black Cultural Centre for Nova Scotia on YouTube.
See the poster below for more about this event series.
George Bernard Jr.: Light & Legacy exhibition at the MSVU Art Gallery
Sunday, August 9 is also the last day to view the exhibition of the works of the late George Bernard Jr. at the MSVU Art Gallery (located in the Seton Academic Centre). George is the husband of Senator Wanda Thomas Bernard.
Titled George Bernard Jr.: Light & Legacy, the exhibition celebrates the legacy of the African Nova Scotian photographer, designer, and artist. The Art Gallery describes the exhibition as a collection of “photographs, artworks, and ephemera that highlight [George’s] curiosity, generosity, and commitment to uplifting others through creative expression. His portraits emphasize dignity, warmth, and self-representation while his broader photographic practice was spent documenting protests, legislative gatherings, church events, and visits by prominent figures such as Minniejean Brown-Trickey, Desmond Tutu, and Tina Turner, creating an archive rooted in strength of community, faith, and dialogue.”
The MSVU Art Gallery is open from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, August 9 (and every Wednesday through Sunday). For detailed hours and more information, visit the Gallery online.
I encourage you to join in these and other events being held across our communities in the coming weeks to mark Emancipation Day (find event and resource information here).
Joël
Dr. Joël Dickinson
President and Vice-Chancellor
Mount Saint Vincent University
