In 1833, the British Parliament pushed by William Wilberforce passed an act banning slavery (Slavery Abolition Act of 1833).  It took full effect at midnight of July 31^st, 1834. As of August 1^st 1834, all slaves in the British Empire were emancipated, but still indentured to their former owners in an apprenticeship system which was finally abolished in 1838.

Click here to view movie (AMAZING GRACE) William Wilberforce (1759-1833) led the twenty-year fight to end the British slave trade. Wilberforce died just three days after hearing that the passage of the Slavery Abolition Act through Parliament was assured.

Emancipation Day is widely observed around the world (Countries that were apart of the British Empire) during the first weekend of August.

Though the Masons and churches, sympathetic to the abolition movement were the first in Windsor to organize Emancipation Celebrations, individuals such as Walter Perry (later known as Mr. Emancipation) and his successor Ted Powell became synonymous with Windsor's Emancipation Day Celebration.

Along with colorful parades, concerts, talent shows, pageants, family reunion picnics and community barbecues. The celebration drew the likes of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Dr. George Washington Carver, Jesse Owens, Joe Louis, Eleanor Roosevelt and many other world renowned dignitaries annually to appear as guest speakers or simply to join the revelry.

Following the riots in Detroit in 1967 the Emanicipation Celebration was cancelled due to security concerns. In 1969 the festivities resumed. Controversy erupted over the City of Windsor's decision to move the festival to Mic Mac Park in 1977.

Rev. Martin Luther King Jr pictured here with Russel Small, President of the Emancipation Committee, Rev. Theodore S Boone of Detroit and Walter Perry. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a guest speaker at our Annual Emancipation Day Celebration. ^{Courtesy of the Windsor Star, August 7, 1956.}