For more than a decade and a half, BlackNovaScotia.ca has served as a community-driven platform dedicated to preserving, sharing, and amplifying stories of interest to Black Nova Scotians.
The project began as a Facebook page for a simple reason. At the time, many local news organizations removed stories from their websites after only a short period of time. Important stories involving Black Nova Scotians were effectively disappearing from public view. What began as an effort to preserve and share those stories so they would remain accessible to the community has since evolved into BlackNovaScotia.ca and a broader platform dedicated to documenting history, current events, community achievements, public policy issues, culture, and stories that might otherwise be overlooked or forgotten.
Over the years, BlackNovaScotia.ca has:
• Amplified stories from mainstream media that might otherwise have been missed.
• Helped bring attention to stories before they received broader media coverage.
• Preserved thousands of stories and community records.
• Created a searchable archive of news and information.
• Shared community announcements, events, fundraisers, opportunities, and community resources.
• Documented Black Nova Scotian history, culture, and community.
• Conducted original interviews with community leaders, advocates, artists, and elected officials.
• Produced original journalism and investigative reporting.
• Covered elections and political developments affecting Black communities.
• Reported on public policy, education, land rights, and justice issues.
• Provided a platform for voices and perspectives that are not always reflected in traditional media.
In addition to preserving the work of others, BlackNovaScotia.ca has contributed original reporting and interviews on issues affecting Black Nova Scotians, including coverage related to Africville, land rights, education, public policy, representation in government, community advocacy, and social justice.
This work has largely been funded personally and sustained through thousands of volunteer hours over many years.
As BlackNovaScotia.ca continues to grow, so too does its vision — not only to preserve history and report on current issues, but to serve as a digital resource hub connecting people with organizations, businesses, institutions, mental health resources, educational materials, and other information of value to Black communities throughout Nova Scotia.
Today, I am asking for your support to help ensure that this work continues.
Your contribution will help support website and platform costs, equipment, travel, interviews, photography, video production, records requests, research, and the time required to continue documenting, preserving, and expanding stories, history, resources, and opportunities for Black Nova Scotians.
If BlackNovaScotia.ca disappeared tomorrow, it would not simply be a website disappearing. It would mean years of collected community knowledge, reporting, interviews, photographs, videos, and historical records becoming more difficult to access. My goal is not only to preserve what has already been built, but to continue expanding it for future generations.
I am seeking to raise $20,000 to help strengthen and sustain BlackNovaScotia.ca while creating the capacity to expand coverage, preserve more history, develop new community resources, and continue documenting stories that matter.
If BlackNovaScotia.ca has informed you, helped you discover a piece of history, promoted an event, highlighted an issue that mattered to you, or amplified a story that might otherwise have gone untold, I invite you to consider making a contribution.
There are several ways to support BlackNovaScotia.ca:
• GoFundMe — Make a one-time contribution.
• Patreon — Become a monthly supporter and help sustain the platform.
• Interac e-Transfer (Canada) — Donate directly by e-transfer to [email redacted], allowing 100% of your one-time contribution to support BlackNovaScotia.ca.
For administrative and banking purposes, BlackNovaScotia.ca operates under the registered business name Black Nova Scotian Digital Resource Centre and Archive, registered with the Nova Scotia Registry of Joint Stock Companies.
Thank you for helping preserve, strengthen, and grow this important community resource for current and future generations.
Matthew Byard
Founder, BlackNovaScotia.ca
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