There have always been women who broke the barriers that were set for them by a patriarchical society. African women who broke these barriers during a time when all they were seen as was chattel are especially phenomenal. The women in this article are just some of the many women who lived before their time and smashed those barriers!
2. published his autobiography “The Interesting Narrative of the Life of Olaudah
Equiano Or Gustavus Vassa, The African“ which he used in the fight against
slavery. He eventually became one of the best known African abolitionists.
Many of the enslaved Africans who worked as sailors gained their freedom by
fleeing the ships when they docked in Britain. In his 2000 published book “Black
Atlantic Politics: Dilemmas of Political Empowerment in Boston and Liverpool“
African American historian William Edward Nelson Jr., wrote: “Black seamen
attached to merchant ships began to make their permanent homes in Liverpool.“
There was an established African community in Liverpool after slavery was
abolished in Britain 1772. In “Black Atlantic Politics“ Nelson also wrote that:
“The Black community in Liverpool is one of the oldest in Britain. The roots of
the Liverpool Black community date back to at least the eighteenth century. Some
members of Liverpool“s Black community entered as slaves. Evidence that Blacks
were sold as slaves in Liverpool can be found in advertisements that appeared in
local newspapers from 1750 through 1790. Slave auctions continued to be held in
Liverpool up to 1780 despite the formal abolition of slavery in Great Britain in
1772.“
There was another wave of Africans who settled in Liverpool beginning after the
American War of Independence when Africans who had fought on the side of the
British were freed and became members of the United Empire Loyalists. Some of
those African members of United Empire Loyalists were resettled in Liverpool
while others were resettled in Canada.
The British had issued formal proclamations encouraging enslaved Africans to
abandon their slave holders and serve in the military forces of the British
monarchy. They were promised freedom in exchange for service in the war against
their former American enslavers. The many Africans who fled their enslavers to
serve the British in the war were United Empire Loyalists. The story of an
African woman whose family was resettled in Canada as United Empire Loyalists is
important as part of Canada“s history and “Women“s History.“
Rose Fortune who is recognized as Canada“s first female police officer was a
child when she and her parents were resettled in Nova Scotia as members of the
United Empire Loyalists. As an adult an enterprising Rose Fortune started her
own business in Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia carting luggage in a wheelbarrow
from the ferry docks to inns and hotels. Fortune ran a successful business
because many passengers were willing to pay to have their heavy luggage
delivered to their doors.
She later instituted a curfew in the town maintaining order on the wharves and
around the warehouses as the police officer of Annapolis Royal. Fortune was
obviously an enterprising woman because “she also offered a wake-up service to
customers to make certain they caught their boat to Digby or Saint John on
time.“ From Parks Canada website (http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/lhn-
nhs/ns/fortanne/natcul/People/Fortune.aspx) there is this information about
Fortune: “Around 1852, a Lieutenant-Colonel Sleigh of the 77th Regiment wrote of
an encounter with Rose Fortune: “I was aided in my hasty efforts to quit the
abominable inn [where he had been staying] by a curious old Negro woman, rather
stunted in growth“and dressed in a man“s coat and felt hat. She had a small
stick in her hand which she applied lustily to the back of all who did not jump
instantly out of the way. She was evidently a privileged character.““ African
Canadian Rose Fortune like African Caribbean sailor “William Brown“ were both
women before their time who operated outside of what was considered a woman“s
place at the time they lived. Both of these women deserve to be placed in the
history books.