Emergencies and World Disasters
When a City Bombed a Neighbourhood Twice: Richmond to Africville
23 min•24 juli 2026
Om avsnittet
When a City Bombed a Neighbourhood Twice: Richmond to Africville
The sound of church bells in Fort Needham hides two erasures: one that wiped Richmond away in nine seconds and another that erased Africville over decades. How did an explosion in 1917 and a city relocation in the 1960s together erase streets, institutions and a community's place in Halifax's North End?
In this episode, we tell the story of those two losses and the people and places caught between them, following the blast that levelled Richmond and the municipal decisions that led to Africville's demolition - what was taken, and why does the land still remember?
Person: Viola Desmond
Event: Halifax Explosion (December 6, 1917)
Event: Africville relocation vote (January 1964)
Location: Fort Needham / North End, Halifax
Population: Gottingen Street corridor peak 11,939 (1951) and 4,494 (1996)
- The Mont-Blanc detonated at 9:09 AM on December 6, 1917, and levelled the Richmond neighbourhood in nine seconds.
- Africville had existed on the shore of Bedford Basin since 1849 and its church was razed by workers in the early hours of 1969.
- Halifax City Council voted to relocate Africville residents in January 1964, citing missing services as justification.
- By 1950, more than 130 enterprises operated within four blocks of Gottingen Street, including two cinemas and multiple barbershops.
- The Gottingen Street corridor population fell from 11,939 in 1951 to 4,494 in 1996.
To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.
© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
The sound of church bells in Fort Needham hides two erasures: one that wiped Richmond away in nine seconds and another that erased Africville over decades. How did an explosion in 1917 and a city relocation in the 1960s together erase streets, institutions and a community's place in Halifax's North End?
In this episode, we tell the story of those two losses and the people and places caught between them, following the blast that levelled Richmond and the municipal decisions that led to Africville's demolition - what was taken, and why does the land still remember?
Person: Viola Desmond
Event: Halifax Explosion (December 6, 1917)
Event: Africville relocation vote (January 1964)
Location: Fort Needham / North End, Halifax
Population: Gottingen Street corridor peak 11,939 (1951) and 4,494 (1996)
- The Mont-Blanc detonated at 9:09 AM on December 6, 1917, and levelled the Richmond neighbourhood in nine seconds.
- Africville had existed on the shore of Bedford Basin since 1849 and its church was razed by workers in the early hours of 1969.
- Halifax City Council voted to relocate Africville residents in January 1964, citing missing services as justification.
- By 1950, more than 130 enterprises operated within four blocks of Gottingen Street, including two cinemas and multiple barbershops.
- The Gottingen Street corridor population fell from 11,939 in 1951 to 4,494 in 1996.
To listen to this podcast ad-free and access premium episodes, try our subscription with a 14-day free trial at obomedia.com.
© 2026 OBOMEDIA. All rights reserved.
This episode and its content (audio, text, and related materials) are the exclusive property of OBOMEDIA and are protected by applicable copyright laws. Reproduction, distribution, editing, or commercial use, in whole or in part, without prior written permission from OBOMEDIA is prohibited. For permissions, licensing, and business inquiries: [email protected].
Emergencies and World Disasters med Creator at Obomedia finns tillgänglig på flera plattformar. Informationen på denna sida kommer från offentliga podd-flöden.