You may never have heard of the Shiloh Baptist Church in Saskatchewan, but it has significant historical value for the province, in that it was a settling community for African Americans escaping segregation in Oklahoma. The site, which is about 30 kilometres northwest of Maidstone, has been designated a provincial heritage property. The families who settled there constructed buildings such as the Shiloh Baptist Church, using logs from poplar trees cut from the banks of the nearby North Saskatchewan River. It is the only known building that remains from the first and only African American farming community in Saskatchewan. A nearby cemetery with at least 37 graves of the original settlers and their descendants is also part of the heritage designation. As per cultural tradition, the graves were originally marked by large stones at both the head and foot of the grave and is the only location in Saskatchewan displaying that African American burial custom of the late 19th century.
A Saskatchewan Church With Ties to People Escaping Segregation is Recognized
Sep 13, 2018 | 4:31 AM