The Freetown Colony

The basis for the Freetown Colony began in 1791, when Thomas Peters, an African American who had served in the Black Pioneers, went to England to challenge the British for not acting upon their promise to the black population. Peters met with the directors of the Sierra Leone Company, and it was there he learned of proposals for a new settlement at Sierra Leone. The directors were eager to allow the Settlers to build a settlement at Sierra Leone; the London-based and newly created Sierra Leone Company had decided to create a new colony but before Peters' arrival had no colonists. Lieutenant John Clarkson was sent to Nova Scotia to register immigrants to take to Sierra Leone for the purpose of starting a new settlement. Over 1,100 former American slaves from Nova Scotia sailed in 15 ships and arrived in St. George Bay. The Nova Scotians were to build Freetown on the former site of the first Granville Town which had become a "jungle" since its destruction in 1789. Though they built Freetown on Granville Town's former site. The women remained in the ships while the Settler men worked tirelessly to clear the land. Lt. Clarkson told the men to clear the land until they reached a large cotton tree. The Settler men were scratched and hurt by the shrubbery and bush. After the work had been done and the land cleared all the Nova Scotians, men and women, disembarked and marched towards the thick forest and to the cotton tree.

From this video I learned the importance of Freetown and it's historical significance to slavery. The people of Freetown, treasure the land, because it has so much meaning to them and who they are today. You can see how much pride they take in their history in just the minor detail and preservation of certain things that reminds them of who they are, such as the chains in the wall. It has also given me an insight into what some of the slaves may have gone through, as it's something I will have to take on in the potrayal of my character as slavery was something he was exposed to, throughout his lifetime.