Historian shares thoughts on Emancipation Day, making a differenceAugust 6, 2026 · 0 CommentsBy Brock WeirLocal Journalism Initiative ReporterRosemary Sadlier was instrumental in the establishment of Black History Month across Canada, but her advocacy work as President of the Ontario Black History Society increased the profile of Emancipation Day in this country as well. As communities gathered August 1 to mark Emancipation Day, the anniversary of the abolition of slavery across the British Empire in 1834, Sadlier was at Aurora Town Square to speak on the importance of the observance to people all over the world. “I became involved in doing Emancipation Day because I was approached by the President of the Caribbean Historical Society of Trinidad and Tobago many years ago,” she shared. This fuelled her interest and eventual career in studying and amplifying Black history – a line of work which has given her a unique perspective on the present-day challenges facing Black Canadians. “Every Black person is not supposed to be providing every White person with a rundown of Black history and issues related to the transatlantic slave trade,” she said.