In honour of Black History Month, NC Libraries and Learning Commons is shining a spotlight on the docuseries Canfield Roots, a six-part series that shares the stories of Black families who made rural Southern Ontario their home after escaping enslavement, whose descendants now work to save an abandoned cemetery.

The docuseries was directed and produced by NC alum, Graeme Bachiu, who graduated from NC’s Broadcasting – Radio, Television and Film program in 2003, and is available to view, free of charge, for all NC students, staff and faculty through the NC Libraries and Learning Commons.

Canfield Roots was first released during Black History Month in 2022 and continues to serve as a reminder of the rich history of freedom seekers and the lives they led following their escape into Canada.

To view Canfield Roots, visit the NC Libraries and Learning Commons website, and click on the “Black History Month Featured Resource.”

History

In the mid-1800s, Black American freedom seekers journeyed north to Canada on the Underground Railroad, a network of safe houses and hiding places that took people north. Some families put down roots near the small village of Canfield, building homes, raising families, and contributing to the cultural fabric of the community. Over time, the children of those families married into other families across Ontario and the United States, including a connection with the family of Harriet Tubman, the heroine known for making 13 return trips on the Underground Railroad to help liberate other freedom seekers.