A new monument celebrating Windsor’s Emancipation Day legacy will be unveiled in Jackson Park on Aug. 1.
The Emancipation Celebration Monument and Gathering Space honours a tradition that once made Windsor a destination for annual freedom celebrations.
Previously announced in April, the project includes more than $400,000 in city funding, while another $140,000 is being raised for a bronze statue of Walter “Mr. Emancipation” Perry expected in 2027.
Irene Moore Davis is the assistant curator at the Amherstburg Freedom Museum and president of the Essex County Black Historical Research Society.
She says the project creates a lasting tribute.
“It’s wonderful that there’s a new Emancipation Plaza being unveiled on August 1, Emancipation Day in Jackson Park, and it will always be there to commemorate that history,” Moore Davis said.
“And maximum congratulations to the committee of hard working area residents who worked with the city for years to make this a reality.”
The monument uses murals and plaques to tell the story of Windsor’s historic Emancipation celebrations.
Moore Davis says the site brings that story to life.
“It has a beautiful aesthetic element. Local artist Dennis K. Smith has provided the design for the murals that are part of the Emancipation Plaza,” she said.
“I had a small role in crafting some of the wording that goes on the interpretive plaques.”
Moore Davis says the event is open to everyone.
“There’s no sign up required, no pre-registration required, just head down to Jackson Park the morning of August 1, and it will be a wonderful ceremony,” she said.
The opening ceremony and ribbon-cutting begin at 10:15 a.m. Aug. 1, with Mayor Drew Dilkens, Joi Hurst, Gale Carter and Jim Crichton among those expected to attend.
The unveiling is part of a larger Emancipation Day weekend that includes four days of programming organized by the Black Council of Windsor-Essex.