Honouring the Legacy of the No. 2 Construction Battalion

Today we honoured the legacy of the No. 2 Construction Battalion, Canada’s first and only all-black battalion, whose initial home was in the Town of Pictou.

Members of the battalion fought not only for their country, but also for their right to enlist. They were told it was a white man’s war. Initially, they were rejected, not because they lacked the skills necessary to support the war effort, but because of the colour of their skin.

In their effort to join the war, they advanced the rights of all Canadians to be treated equally before the law and free from discrimination on the basis of the colour of their skin.

Through educational events, memorials, and learning exhibits, we can keep the Battalion’s memory alive.

The federal government has pledged $124,000 to support 5 new projects that will preserve the legacy of the No. 2 Construction Battalion, including new monuments, community events, and research that will keep its memory alive.

Thank you to all those who have shone a light on the resilience of Black Canadians and African Nova Scotians who fought to join the military in WWI in pursuit of a cause worth fighting for.

We will remember them.