A New Sign Just Went Up In A Toronto Neighbourhood Named After A Slave Owner
A new plaque sheds light on the racist origins of a Toronto neighbourhood's name. Baby Point, an upscale residential area in the city's west end, is named after a known slave owner, it points out. The makeshift Baby Point plaque delves into the truth of this and depicts the raised fist logo of the Black Lives Matter movement.
James Baby, a 19th-century lawyer, bought the land from the Canadian government, the sign says.
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Baby enslaved a number of Black and Indigenous people, including a 12-year-old Black boy. He also opposed the abolition of slavery in Canada.
"These roads are named after Jacques 'James' Baby. He was a member of the Baby family who enslaved at least 17 Black and indigenous people in the late 18th and early 19th centuries in Canada," it reads.
"Some of these enslaved people were passed down through the generations of the Baby family."
A report by the Windsor Star confirms that Baby did indeed own at least 17 slaves in the late 18th century.
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According to Upper Canada History, James Baby fought against the efforts of Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe to free Upper Canada slaves.
A photo of the sign was shared on Reddit Toronto on Thursday and has since gotten over 1,100 upvotes.
Many large demonstrations have taken place in Ontario this summer as part of a global movement against racism and police brutality.
A number of protests were held in Toronto in early June, including the March for Change rally and a large gathering outside of the Toronto Police Headquarters.
Torontonians have also demanded name changes to streets, monuments and facilities that honour colonizers and slaveowners.
Among these is a petition to rename Toronto's Dundas Street, named after a Scottish politician who reportedly delayed the abolition of slavery by 15 years.