Latest News from the Nova Scotia Women’s History Society — January 2025

Dear members of Nova Scotia Women’s History Society and all those interested in our work,

The Nova Scotia Women’s History Society is looking forward to a busy year in 2025, so we would like to update the membership and encourage members to become involved. Any interested in being part of our upcoming projects or joining our board, we encourage to reach out via our email, nswomenshistory@gmail.com .

Our project to celebrate Truro African-Nova Scotian women educators is coming to its conclusion. The installation of a series of panels will take place in the spring of 2025. We are planning for a community celebration in the beautiful new park in Truro, at the corner of Fort and Robie Streets. This initiative is the product of hard work, patience, and the tremendous support of the Society over several years. We are thrilled to be able to bring this important and little-known history to a public place, for all to share. (For details on the project, please explore this website.) Dates for the celebration will be announced later this winter. Our intention is to hold our AGM in Truro to coincide with this celebration. It will be a hybrid meeting so all can attend, but we look forward to expanding our presence in Nova Scotia!

The Society is in the process of negotiating the donation of the original portraits of the four educators, created by Letitia Fraser, to the Mount St. Vincent University art gallery. The artwork of Truro native Bruce Wood, which depicts iconic Zion Baptist Church organist Vera Clyke is on long-term loan to the Zion Baptist Church in Truro. 

As well, the Society has begun work to create a new program to fund external projects. Our current board and past chairs spent a Saturday in December 2024 working with Horizons Community Development to develop the program and application process. We are revising and refining the program description, regulations, and application process, with the plan of running a pilot of the project this year. The pilot version of the program will be announced at our 2025 AGM in early spring and will be posted on this website.

I would like to thank all who have supported our work and invite any interested in getting more involved through Board or committee work, to contact us through the website email.

Anne Marie Lane Jonah
Chair, Nova Scotia Women’s History Society