Eddie Carvery facts for kids
Eddie Carvery is a brave activist from Africville, Nova Scotia. Africville was a small community, mostly home to Black families, near Halifax. In the 1960s, the city decided to tear it down. This was part of a plan called "urban renewal," but many felt it was unfair because Africville had been ignored for a long time, with poor services.
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What Happened to Africville?
Africville was a vibrant community with its own church, school, and homes. However, the city of Halifax did not provide basic services like clean water, sewage systems, or paved roads to Africville, unlike other parts of the city. In the 1960s, the city decided to move all the residents out and destroy the community. This caused a lot of sadness and anger among the people who lived there.
Eddie Carvery's Long Protest
Eddie Carvery started his protest on the land where Africville once stood in 1970. He believed that the city needed to apologize and make things right for the people of Africville. For many years, he lived on the site, which became known as Seaview Park. He stayed there on and off for over 25 years.
The G7 Summit and More Attention
In 1995, the G7 summit (a big meeting of leaders from powerful countries) came to Halifax. This brought international attention to Eddie Carvery's protest. The City of Halifax tried to make Eddie and his brother Victor leave Seaview Park.
Eventually, the brothers moved from the park area to nearby land. They continued their protest right where the village school used to be. Eddie Carvery kept protesting on the grounds of Africville for a very long time. As of February 2012, he was still at his protest site, located behind the newly rebuilt Africville Church. His protest has become one of the longest civil rights protests in Canadian history.
Books and Podcasts About Eddie Carvery
A book about Eddie Carvery's life and protest was published in 2010. It is called The Hermit of Africville and was written by Pottersfield Press. In 2022, Eddie Carvery was also featured on a podcast called Africville Forever. These works help share his important story with more people.
