For more than four centuries, Black families have been an important part of New Brunswick’s history, culture, and communities. Yet many of their stories and contributions have not received the recognition they deserve in the broader Canadian historical record.
The Still Here Initiative is helping to change that. The multi-year cultural project documents, preserves, and celebrates the histories of Black families whose roots in New Brunswick stretch back generations. Through historical research, family stories, photography, poetry, exhibitions, and community gatherings, the initiative is bringing these stories into greater public view.
At its heart, Still Here is a celebration of resilience, identity, belonging, and the continuing presence of Black communities in New Brunswick.
Preserving a History That Has Been Overlooked
The history of Black settlement in New Brunswick goes back to the arrival of more than 40 Black families in 1783. Despite this long history, the experiences and contributions of Black New Brunswickers have often been overlooked or underrepresented in the public record.
Still Here seeks to address that gap by placing the experiences of Black families and communities at the centre of the story.
The project features the histories of 15 generational Black New Brunswick families, bringing together archival research and personal accounts to create a fuller picture of Black life and contributions in the province. The resulting work demonstrates that Black history in New Brunswick is not a marginal part of the province’s past, but an essential part of its story.
Bringing Family Stories to Life
One of the distinctive aspects of Still Here is the way it brings together different forms of storytelling.
Historical documents and archival research are combined with first-person stories, original poetry, photography, and portraiture. This approach allows historical information to be connected to the people and families who have carried these stories across generations.
The project has also produced Still Here: Preserving Our Legacy, a book that weaves together historical documents, personal stories, poetry, and photography to document the experiences and contributions of the 15 families featured in the project.
By combining historical evidence with personal and creative expression, the initiative creates a record that is both informative and deeply personal.
Connecting the Past With the Present
Preserving history is not simply about looking backward. It can also help communities understand where they come from and strengthen connections between generations.
Still Here places particular emphasis on building bridges between generations and preserving stories for the future. The initiative celebrates the families who established and strengthened Black communities in New Brunswick while also highlighting the vibrant Black culture that continues to thrive across the province today.
For younger generations, access to these histories can provide a stronger connection to their heritage and a greater understanding of the experiences, achievements, and resilience of those who came before them.
From Family Histories to a National Exhibition
The stories collected through Still Here are reaching audiences beyond the families and communities in which they originated.
Still Here: Preserving Our Legacy is a multimedia exhibition featuring Black families whose histories in New Brunswick date back to the 1700s. The exhibition opened at the Beaverbrook Art Gallery in Fredericton on July 18, 2026, and runs until December 13, 2026.
The exhibition provides visitors with an opportunity to encounter these histories through images, archival materials, and creative works, helping to bring greater visibility to Black experiences in Atlantic Canada.
The project is also connected to a broader four-day Still Here Emancipation Celebration, held in Fredericton from July 31 to August 3, 2026. The celebration brings together history, art, music, community gatherings, and academic conversations around Black heritage in New Brunswick.
Celebrating Four Centuries of Black Presence
The Still Here project emphasizes that Black history in New Brunswick is both historic and living.
The initiative describes its work as a way of preserving the past, celebrating the present, and building the future. Its events create opportunities for families and communities to reconnect, share memories, celebrate culture, and strengthen relationships.
This is particularly important in a historical context where many Black stories have been omitted from mainstream narratives. Preserving these experiences helps ensure that future generations can see themselves and their communities reflected in the history of the province.
Why These Stories Matter
Projects such as Still Here demonstrate the importance of documenting Black history through the voices and experiences of the communities themselves.
The stories of these families are stories of perseverance, community building, cultural identity, and belonging. They also challenge the idea that Black Canadian history is a recent development or exists only in a few well-known places.
By documenting generations of Black families in New Brunswick, Still Here helps create a more complete understanding of Canadian history. It recognizes the people who built communities, maintained traditions, contributed to the province, and continue to shape its future.
The initiative is ultimately more than an effort to preserve the past. It is a declaration that Black communities have been here, remain here, and will continue to contribute to the cultural and social fabric of New Brunswick and Canada.
Still Here is a reminder that preserving history is also an act of recognition — ensuring that the stories of Black families are remembered, shared, and carried forward for generations to come.