History of Windsor's Emancipation Day celebrations captured in new documentary
CBC
A short documentary about Windsor's historical Emancipation Day celebrations is now available to the public after nearly four years in the making.
On Saturday, Windsorites can finally watch "Journey Back to Jackson Park", a documentary featuring stories of Windsor's Black community during Emancipation Day celebrations held in Jackson Park from the 1930s to 1960s.
Tonya Sutherland, head of archive development and researcher of the project said it feels "validating" and "affirming" to see it released.
"I'm looking forward to the idea of someone sitting at home on Saturday on their couch and they're going to see this and maybe that will spark that moment for them of, 'this is so cool and I want to know more about it.' The prospect of being able to start people on that journey is what I'm really looking forward to," Sutherland said.
The multifaceted project is led by a team of Canadian female researchers, historians, professors and artists. It features voices of Windsor's community members with ties to the historical celebrations.
"We believe that what went on during those celebrations and what they represented really speak to a lot of things that are present in Canadian history and our current dialogue," Sutherland said.
Issues such as Civil Rights, freedom, racism and community cooperation are all weaved throughout the piece.
