Africville : a municipal exercise in managing the built environment

Abstract

This thesis examines the relationship between the historic community of Africville and the city of Halifax through the exercise of land and property management. Through changes in early twentieth century municipal policy Africville became an increasingly imposed on by neighboring industry and city infrastructure. Many residents within the community insist that building permits were difficult to obtain and most had significant trouble obtaining legal title to their land. This thesis will also show how land value in Africville changed through the twentieth century leading to the community's displacement starting in 1964. Through evaluating Halifax's management of Africville's built environment, a greater understanding of Africville's predisplacement history can be ascertained, alongside a fuller picture of the discrimination which the community experienced.