Government of Canada commemorates National Historic Person Richard Pierpoint (c. 1744–c.1838)

Pierpoint’s story represents the resilience of Black Loyalists in Upper Canada

October 3, 2023                            Fergus, ON                                  Parks Canada

Sunday, Lloyd Longfield, Member of Parliament for Guelph, unveiled a bronze plaque commemorating the national historic significance of Richard Pierpoint in a special ceremony at the Fergus Grand Theatre. The unveiling was made on behalf of the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada.

Richard Pierpoint’s story is representative of the resilience of the people of African descent who freed themselves from slavery in the American colonies by fighting for the British under the name Black Loyalists and then faced obstacles and prejudice in British North America. He was born in the kingdom of Bundu (a region in modern-day Senegal) and enslaved for 20 years in the Thirteen American Colonies (now the United States). Sold to a British officer in 1760, he later enlisted in the American Revolutionary War (1775–1783) as part of a Loyalist combat unit with the promise of becoming a free man in return. After the conflict, Pierpoint settled as a free man in the Niagara Peninsula, in 1783-1784.

Using his talents as a storyteller in the West African tradition, the griot (a poet musician, someone who preserves and transmits oral tradition) would become a leader among Black Loyalists. He was involved in the creation of “the Coloured Corps,” the only military unit in Upper Canada comprised entirely of men of African descent during the War of 1812, which took part in the fighting and helped repair fortifications in the Niagara region. After the war, Pierpoint returned to Grantham Township. He petitioned for permission to return to Africa but was denied. In 1821, Pierpoint was instead granted 40.4 hectares (100 acres) of land in Garafraxa Township on the Grand River, near to what is now Fergus. He passed away in 1837 or 1838.

The Government of Canada, through the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada, recognizes significant people, places, and events that shaped our country as one way of helping Canadians connect with their past. By sharing these stories with Canadians, we hope to foster understanding and reflection on the diverse histories, cultures, legacies, and realities of Canada’s past and present.

The designation process under Parks Canada’s National Program of Historical Commemoration is largely driven by public nominations. To date, more than 2,240 designations have been made nationwide. To nominate a person, place or historic event in your community, please visit the Parks Canada website for more information: https://www.pc.gc.ca/en/culture/clmhc-hsmbc/ncp-pcn/application.

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