Remembering and honouring the Nova Scotians of the 'Black Battalion'
They were told it was 'a white man's war' during WWI
Members of the so-called Black Battalion weren't allowed to carry guns. Instead, they were handed picks and shovels.
Most Black Canadian men who tried to enlist for active duty during the First World War at the front were turned away because of the perception that it was a "white man's war."
This Jul. 12, 2003 report by CBC's Craig Paisley shows a service in Pictou, N.S., where the sacrifices of members of the Black Battalion were memorialized.
It contains video of veterans saluting at the memorial and an interview with Second World War veteran John Paris.
The report also includes interviews with Henry Bishop of the Black Cultural Centre and Chief Warrant Officer Kevin Junor.
There are still black and white images of the No. 2 Construction Battalion throughout the report.
This content is being presented as it was originally created and may contain references or representations of people and cultures that audiences may find offensive or triggering.
For suggestions on content to feature in CBC's online collection of African Nova Scotia archival material, please email [email protected]
For more stories about the experiences of Black Canadians — from anti-Black racism to success stories within the Black community — check out Being Black in Canada, a CBC project Black Canadians can be proud of. You can read more stories here.
