20 Dollars - Elizabeth II Black Loyalists

Reverse

The armorial bearings of the Black Loyalists Heritage Society, flanked by maple leaves.

Script: Latin

Lettering:
Canada
THE HEART OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE IS IN YOUR ROOTS
2021
20 DOLLARS

Designer: Darrel E. Kennedy

Edge

Serrated

Comment

This coin's reverse features the armorial bearings of the Black Loyalist Heritage Society granted in 2006 by the Canadian Heraldic Authority and designed by Darrel E. Kennedy, Assiniboine Herald.

On the shield, three Loyalist civil coronets represent the non-combatants who fled to British North America (Canada), while the ship's wheel represents both the past (the ships landing in 1783) and the present (the Society's focus on community development). The lion supporters symbolize the pride of Africa and the courage demonstrated by those who sought a better life in Nova Scotia. Beneath the shield, the province is represented by its official floral emblem, the mayflower, while the rock symbolizes the landings near Birchtown, N.S. The anchor in the crest honours the sacrifices of the families who undertook the journey, which is represented by the footprints in the mantling. The motto "THE HEART OF YOUR KNOWLEDGE IS IN YOUR ROOTS" speaks to the Society members' interest in their heritage. The armorial bearings are flanked by maple leaves.

They sought freedom and a better life here. In the time of the War of American Independence (1775-1783),thousands of Black Loyalists—some free, some indentured, and others still enslaved—came to British North America and put down roots in present-day Canada. But the hardships they endured are a reminder of how complex our history can be.

Their triumphs and tribulations are a fundamental part of Canada's story that should be honoured and remembered, as they are on this pure silver coin, which features the armorial bearings of the Black Loyalist Heritage Society.

The Black Loyalist Experience
Before, during and after the American Revolution, hundreds of Black Loyalists settled in the Niagara Peninsula, along the St. Lawrence River, and in the Eastern Townships. But the large majority of Black Loyalists, roughly 3,000 of them, landed in Nova Scotia and present-day New Brunswick in 1783. They settled in areas such as Halifax, Annapolis Royal, Fort Cumberland, Shelburne, Port Mouton, Saint John, andalong the Saint John River; they also established communities in Tracadie and in Birchtown, N.S., thenthe largest settlement of free Black people outside of Africa.

 For many Black Loyalists, the promise of a better life went unfulfilled: climate and agricultural conditions here were harsh; the land grant system favoured white Loyalists; and unemployment, lower wages and discrimination were the norm. Tensions mounted in some places, and in 1784, a mob of disbanded soldiers targeted Black Loyalists in Birchtown and Shelburne, N.S., in the first recorded race riot in North America.

Disillusioned, about 1,200 Black Loyalists left Nova Scotia in 1792 to build a new life in the West African country of Sierra Leone. Those who remained in British North America helped re-define Canada's history and character, and today, the descendants of Black Loyalists can lay claim to an extraordinary legacy of courage and perseverance.

DID YOU KNOW?

Not all Black Loyalists were free–white Loyalists brought enslaved persons with them when they settled in British North America (Canada). It was only in 1807 that the slave trade was prohibited throughout the British Empire, including present-day Canada, while slavery itself was abolished in 1834.

Interesting fact

Price

Date	Mintage	VG	F	VF	XF	AU	UNC
2021	5500	-	-	-	-	-	-

Values in the table are based on evaluations by sales realized on Internet platforms. They serve as an indication only for 20 Dollars - Elizabeth II (Black Loyalists) 2021 coin.