The new name, being unveiled at noon on Saturday, comes one month after the Ontario Heritage Trust announced its intention to change the name of the historic site to better honour the legacy of Josiah Henson, who helped establish the Dawn Settlement.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin, named after the novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe, sits on the Dawn Settlement that was founded by Josiah Henson in 1830 after he escaped to Canada from Slavery in Kentucky. He became an inspiration for the character in Stowe’s novel.
The Henson family are in full support of the upcoming site name change.
The new name is set to come just a month after the recently approved road name change from Uncle Tom’s Road to Freedom Road.
The Ontario Heritage Trust notes that the term ‘Uncle Tom’ embodies many of the prejudices and biases at the root of anti-Black racism, and that the term implies a person of African descent is a traitor to their race.
The annual Emancipation Day celebration commemorates the end of slavery in most of the British Empire and is celebrated as a nationally recognized holiday in Canada for the second year.
The event will feature poetry readings from Amaria Phillips, musical performances from Tracy Cain, exhibits, and a performance from Heritage Singers Canada. There will also be an art activity for children and lunch available for purchase from Dresden Sidestreets Youth Centre.
Those looking to participate can visit Uncle Tom’s Cabin Historic Site from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at 29251 Freedom Road or stream the event from home on Ontario Heritage Trust’s social media platforms.