Black United Front also known as The Black United Front of Nova Scotia or simply BUF was a

Black nationalist Black nationalism is a type of racial nationalism or pan-nationalism which espouses the belief that black people are a race (human categorization), race, and which seeks to develop and maintain a black racial and national identity. Black natio ...

organization primarily based in

Halifax, Nova Scotia Halifax is the capital and largest municipality of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the largest municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of the 2021 Census, the municipal population was 439,819, with 348,634 people in its urban area. The ...

during the

Civil Rights Movement The civil rights movement was a nonviolent social and political movement and campaign from 1954 to 1968 in the United States to abolish legalized institutional Racial segregation in the United States, racial segregation, Racial discrimination ...

in the United States. Preceded by the Nova Scotia Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NSAACP), the BUF organization was founded by

William Pearly Oliver William Pearly Oliver (February 11, 1912 in Wolfville, Nova Scotia – May 26, 1989 in Lucasville) worked at the Cornwallis Street Baptist Church for twenty-five years (1937–1962) and was instrumental in developing the four leading organizati ...

and

Burnley "Rocky" Jones Burnley Allan "Rocky" Jones (August 26, 1941 – July 29, 2013) was an African-Nova Scotian and an internationally known political activist in the areas of human rights, race and poverty. He came to prominence first as a member of the Student ...

among others. It was founded in 1965 and loosely based on the 10 point program of the

Black Panther Party The Black Panther Party (BPP), originally the Black Panther Party for Self-Defense, was a Marxist-Leninist and black power political organization founded by college students Bobby Seale and Huey P. Newton in October 1966 in Oakland, Califo ...

. In 1968,

Stokely Carmichael Kwame Ture (; born Stokely Standiford Churchill Carmichael; June 29, 1941November 15, 1998) was a prominent organizer in the civil rights movement in the United States and the global pan-African movement. Born in Trinidad, he grew up in the Unite ...

, popular for coining the phrase ''Black Power!'', visited

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...

helping organize the BUF. The organization remained in operation until 1996. The Black United Front did a lot to benefit the

Black Nova Scotian Black Nova Scotians (also known as African Nova Scotians and Afro-Nova Scotians) are Black Canadians whose ancestors primarily date back to the Colonial United States as slaves or freemen, later arriving in Nova Scotia, Canada, during the 18th ...

community. The organization held discussions about employment, housing and educational opportunities. The group also formed its own community police force to keep hard drugs out of Halifax communities, prevent

police brutality Police brutality is the excessive and unwarranted use of force by law enforcement against an individual or a group. It is an extreme form of police misconduct and is a civil rights violation. Police brutality includes, but is not limited to, ...

in communities of colour, and built a park for young children called the ''Tot-Lot''. Additionally, they provided

legal aid Legal aid is the provision of assistance to people who are unable to afford legal representation and access to the court system. Legal aid is regarded as central in providing access to justice by ensuring equality before the law, the right to co ...

in the forms of free legal advice and discounted, even sometimes free legal service to the

Black community Black is a racialized classification of people, usually a political and skin color-based category for specific populations with a mid to dark brown complexion. Not all people considered "black" have dark skin; in certain countries, often in s ...

. The Black United Front reportedly "Shook up whites in Canada".

Notable members

* Yvonne Atwell was once a member of the BUF, and for many years served as president of the Black United Front. *

Buddy Daye Delmore William "Buddy" Daye (1928 – October 1995) was a Canadian professional boxer and community activist. Early life Born in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, Daye moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia as a young man. Daye was a merchant mariner for a shor ...

Hosts and producers of Upfront Television Program 1986-89 (BUF funded project)

The Ten Point Program

The Ten Point Program was as follows:

We want freedom. We want to be able to control the destiny of Black and oppressed communities.
We want full employment for our people.
We want an end to the robbery by the capitalists, of our black and oppressed communities.
We want decent housing, fit for the shelter of human beings.
We want decent education for all people and an education that teaches us our true history and role in present society.
We want our community to be healthy and for them use to their advantage, the free health care in this nation.
We want an immediate end to police brutality and murder of Black people, other people of color, and all oppressed people in this nation.
We want an immediate end to all wars.
We want adequate rights for all Black and oppressed people held in federal, provincial, county, municipal prisons and jails.
We want land, bread, housing, education, clothing, justice and peace.

Newspapers

The Black United Front published a publication called ''GRASP'' (standing for Growth, Readiness, Advancement, Self-determination, People) from 1970 until 1976. The

Nova Scotia Archives Nova Scotia Archives is a governmental archival institution serving the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. The archives acquires, preserves and makes available the province's documentary heritage – recorded information of provincial significance ...

has digitised all issues of this paper and published them online. The group later published a newspaper called ''The Rap'' from 1986 until 1988. This is also available on the provincial archives website.

References

{{Reflist African and Black nationalism in North America History of Black people in Canada Youth empowerment organizations Politics of Nova Scotia Movements for civil rights Black Canadian culture in Halifax, Nova Scotia History of Nova Scotia Civil rights organizations in Canada Black Canadian organizations

Notable members

The Ten Point Program

Newspapers

See also

References