Mr. Speaker, in February we will again celebrate Black History Month throughout Canada, and this has significant importance to my riding of Chatham-Kent—Essex.
Prior to abolition in 1865, as many as 40,000 men, women and children made the perilous trip north from enslavement in the United States to freedom in Canada. In that era Kent County became the safe haven for more refugees than any other county in Canada.
Bryan Prince, a constituent of mine in Chatham-Kent—Essex, himself a descendant of slaves, has written and published a book entitled A Shadow on the Household: One Enslaved Family's Incredible Struggle for Freedom, which tells the true story of the Weems family and their struggle to liberate themselves from slavery. An unforgettable story of love and persistence, the Weems family saga must be read to be believed.
Congratulations to Bryan Prince, his wife Shannon and the family in yet another contribution to black history preservation in Chatham-Kent—Essex.