People from across North America have been meeting with family and friends in North Buxton on Labour Day weekend for over 150 years. This year's 85th Annual Homecoming Celebration in North Buxton, near Chatham, Ontario continues to offer the perfect blend of family fun, African-American heritage, and small town hospitality. Everyone is invited to ìcome home to Buxtonî to meet new friends or reconnect with family September 4-7, 2009.
As a northern terminus of the Underground Railroad, Buxton, near Chatham, Ontario become home to approximately 2000 people of African descent, many of whom returned to the United States after the Civil War. The first homecoming event was designed to draw those former residents home. What started as baseball game and a picnic under a pear tree in 1924 has evolved to a four-day celebration where people celebrate their heritage through music, conferences, historical offerings and childrenís activities.
The 85th Annual Homecoming Celebrations run from September 4 – 7th, 2009. Activities include crowd favorites such as:
ever-popular Labour Day Parade on followed by family fun, reunions, Pride in your Ride display, childrenís activities, lawn mower races, and hot air balloon rides
Family Feud Baseball tournament. (Each team member is related and most teams can trace their roots to the escaping slaves who came to this area along the Underground Railroad from across the United States)
special church service at the North Buxton Community Church
New additions this year is an African Libation Ceremony scheduled for Sunday, September 6th. This event will be followed by Campfire Stories, a corn roast and fireworks at dark.
The four day event starts with the Annual Homecoming starts on Friday, September 4th with the 12th Annual US/Canadian History and Genealogy Conference
This full day conference whose roster of speakers include Dr David Blight, Director of Gilder Lehrman Centre for the Study of Slavery, Resistance and Abolition from Yale University and Velma Maia Thomas, Author, Historian and Genealogist; Creator of the Black Holocaust Exhibit in The Shrine of the Black Madonna in Atlanta, Georgia; youth symposium, poetry reading and remarks from local author/historian.
The Annual Homecoming Celebration is a coordinated effort of the Buxton Historical Society, the North Buxton Community Club and the Next Generation Youth Group. All activities take place on the grounds of the Buxton National Historic Site and Museum, Canadaís largest and most successful planned black settlement. The museum is located just south of Highway # 401 approximately 1 hour west of London and one hour east of Windsor.
For more information call (519) 352-4799 or click on HYPERLINK http://www.buxtonmuseum.com www.buxtonmuseum.com For general tourist information about the area, contact the Chatham-Kent Tourism office at 1-800-561-6125 or click on cktourism.ca
BACKGROUNDER
Buxton Labour Day Annual Homecoming
The first Labour Day Homecoming was held in 1924 in the pasture fields of Reginald and Minnie Robbins.
The original event was initiated by the Sunshine Club of the British Methodist Episcopal Church.
Homecoming was intended to draw former residents who had previously relocated to various parts of Canada and the United States for a return visit to this community.
Descendants of former slaves have made this weekend comparable to a pilgrimage ìhomeî where memories are rekindled, ties and acquaintances are renewed.
This one day event has now expanded into a four day celebration where people celebrate their heritage through music, conferences and a variety of activities in the community.
Visitors to the annual Labour Day Homecoming travel from many parts of the continent including Illinois, Michigan, Washington, California, New York, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Louisiana, Virginia, British Columbia, Quebec and across Ontario.
Some attend to re-connect with family and friends; others come to participate in the historical offerings; Yet others come to nestle in the warmth and hospitality of these descendents of the original Buxton settlers.
Together they share the stories of courage and dedication.
BACKGROUNDER
The Buxton Settlement
The Elgin Settlement, commonly known as the Buxton settlement, was a northern terminus of the Underground Railroad.
It was founded in 1849 by an abolitionist and former slave owner, Reverend William King.
The settlement, located just southwest of present-day Chatham, Ontario, (about one hour east of Detroit, Michigan and one hour west of London, Ontario) became the most successful planned settlement for the fugitives of slavery in Canada
At its peak approximately 1200 blacks lived in the Buxton area.
The settlement had an agricultural economy that included many thriving businesses owned and operated by black settlers, such a saw and grist mill; pot ash ; pearl ash; factory, brick yard; hotel; blacksmith shop and dry goods store.
In 1861, seventy men left their freedom, family and homes in Buxton and returned to the United States to fight in the Civil War.
After the war some returned to sell their farms; some remained in the United States to help with the reconstruction after the war and some went looking for lost family and friends left behind.
The community of Buxton is presently home to about 100 residents, some of whom are descendants of those first fugitive slaves
The history of the Buxton Settlement and the surrounding area is rich with stories of the Underground Railroad.
In 1967, descendents of those original enslaved people built the Raleigh Township Centennial Museum to preserve and present the history of the Underground Railroad.
This community museum was recognized as a National Historic Site by the government of Canada in 1999 and its name was changed to the Buxton National Historic Site and Museum.
The museumís primary mandate is the preservation of material and artefacts, history and accomplishments of the original settlers.
Artefacts of interest include the bed, dresser, diary, and copies of papers of Rev. William King as well as many other articles and papers of historical significance in this community
The custodians of the Buxton National Historic Site & Museum continue to preserve and present this history to an international audience.
They tell their story through museum exhibits, musical presentations, educational programs, outreach programs and special events including the annual Labour Day Homecoming Celebration
The historic site includes:
Buxton Museum, including a research area with local historical and genealogical records.
S.S. #13 Raleigh (Buxton) Schoolhouse (1861),
Colbert/Henderson Cabin (1854)
Shadd Barn
Local church cemeteries, including graves sites of Civil War veterans
Other facilities include a large picnic shelter and barbecue, washrooms, a wheelchair access ramp to the museum and plenty of free parking. Of special note is the Research Area, which contains resource materials, pertaining to local history and genealogy.
The museum is maintained through grants from the Municipality of Chatham-Kent, the Ontario Ministry of Culture, admission fees, donations and other grants as they become available.
