Grey County Black Heritage Society

12/12/2025

This December, walking artist Ken Johnston will undertake an 8-day, 90-mile Walk to Freedom from Detroit, Michigan to Dresden, Ontario, honouring the winter journeys of Freedom Seekers who fled enslavement before “Heartbreak Day.”

The walk will retrace historic Underground Railroad routes and connect with key museums, churches, and community groups along the way.

Walk to Freedom Itinerary:

Detroit and area stops:
Dec 26, 2025 —
📍 Detroit Kwanzaa Walk to Freedom
📍 Charles H. Wright Museum of African American History
📍 Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity House
📍 Detroit Underground Railroad Museum
📍 Hart Plaza
📍 Tower of Freedom, Windsor

Windsor- Essex Stops:
📍 December 27- Tower of Freedom → The Historical Sandwich FIRST Baptist Church→ LaSalle
📍 December 28- LaSalle → Amherstburg Freedom Museum
📍 December 29 - Amherstburg Freedom Museum → Harrow

Chatham-Kent Stops:
📍 December 31 — Buxton National Historic Site & Museum
➡️ Special Q&A with Ken at 12pm upon arrival - All Welcome
📍 January 1 — Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society & Black Mecca Museum
📍 January 2 — Josiah Henson Museum of African-Canadian History, Dresden Ontario Heritage Trust

These stops commemorate the region that once welcomed thousands of Freedom Seekers who self-emancipated between 1830–1865.

Fresh off a 165-mile walk from Niagara Falls to Owen Sound, Ken continues using movement to illuminate history and spark dialogue, echoing the spirit of both the Underground Railroad and the 1963 Detroit Walk to Freedom.

A special thank you to our generous accommodations sponsor, Comfort Inn Chatham!!

12/12/2025

🌟 We’re Honoured to Share Historic News! 🌟

The Buxton National Historic Site & Museum has officially been accepted into the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom through the U.S. National Park Service!

This recognition affirms what our community has long known: Buxton is a place of courage, resilience, and legacy, a sanctuary built by Freedom Seekers and their descendants that continues to inspire generations.

Founded in 1849 as the Elgin Settlement, Buxton became one of the last stops on the Underground Railroad. Here, freedom seekers could own land, attend school, build community, and live free. Today, in addition to the Buxton Museum, three authentic historic structures —the 1852 Colbert-Henderson Log Cabin, the 1853 Abraham Dora Shadd Barn, and the 1861 S.S. # 13 Buxton Schoolhouse- stand as powerful reminders of those transformative beginnings.
Our museum continues this legacy by preserving artifacts, documents, oral histories, and the lived experiences of those who journeyed toward freedom. Each item holds a story of strength, hope, and possibility.

This designation places Buxton among an international network of sites committed to recognizing and preserving Underground Railroad history, and we are deeply proud to stand alongside them.

A special thank you to the dedicated teams at the National Park Service, Parks Canada & Visit Chatham-Kent for their support, guidance, and commitment to this shared history. We are grateful for your partnership.

As we celebrate this milestone, we honour the ancestors, the descendants, and every visitor who helps keep Buxton’s story alive!
Join us in commemorating this moment and the enduring spirit of freedom!

11/29/2025

11/27/2025

We are launching a fundraising campaign to bring the vision of The Early Black Settlers of Negro Creek Memorial Park to reality. Thanks to the wonderful 2-acre donation made by the Douglas family, the site will be located east of Highway 6 on Negro Creek Road.
The site plan was created by local architect Larry May, who kindly offered his expertise and time for this project. The memorial park's design includes the inscription plaque honouring these Freedom Fighters, surrounded by twelve surname markers. It is complemented by two storyboard plaques that honor the history of the Fight to Save the Name of the Road from 1995 to 1997 and pay tribute to the Saugeen Ojibway Nation.
The park's main feature is a walking trail with twelve distinct stops, each dedicated to one of the early Black settler families. At each stop, there will be a storyboard plaque that provides a brief overview of the family's history, accompanied by a QR code linking to the Negro Creek website for more in-depth information. Additionally, benches will be placed along the trail to offer visitors a place to rest, reflect, and remember. It is hoped that descendants and community members will consider donating a bench to one of the twelve Black settler families.
We must extend our gratitude to the Mayor and Council Members of the Township of Chatsworth for their ongoing support for this project.
Please visit our website, https://negrocreek.community/
To donate to the memorial park, please click on this link
https://chatsworth.ca/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/Website-Donation-and-PAP-form-2020.pdf
or email [email protected].
Funds for this memorial are managed by the Township of Chatsworth.
All funds donated for this project will be deposited directly into our designated account and will be used solely for the construction of this memorial park.

08/20/2025

08/20/2025

🎶✨ Step back in time & celebrate local talent! ✨🎶

📅 Sunday, August 31st
🕖 7:00 PM
📍 North Buxton Community Park
💵 Entrance by donation (Suggested $5; ages 13 & under FREE)

Join us for The Buxton Barn Gathering — a special evening where history comes alive through re-enactments and the stage shines with incredible local musical talent. 🎭🎤

Featuring the Musical Talents of:
Cover Crop
The Silvertones
Aunt Cleata’s Shining Stars
Darren Middleton

Re-enactments featuring:
Charlie Robbins
Garrison Shadd
Rev. William King
Sarah Johnson

The refreshment tent will be open for service at 5pm!

Don’t miss this memorable celebration of community, culture, and creativity! 🌾🎶

08/20/2025