PRESS RELEASE
Contact:
Al Williams, President
SF African American Historical and Cultural Society
762 Fulton Street, Second Floor
San Francisco, CA 94102
415.467.4675
Awconsul@aol.com
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE:
150TH
ANNIVERSARY OF
MASS AFRICAN AMERICAN EXODOUS FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO
VICTORIA, BC
San Francisco, CA March 27, 2008 – The San Francisco
African American Historical and Cultural Society (the
Society), in collaboration with representatives of the
African American Art and Culture Complex, the San Francisco
Convention and Visitor Bureau, the University of San
Francisco, the Port of San Francisco, the National Parks
Service and the San Francisco Unified School District, will
host various activities during the week of April 20, 2008
to commemorate the 1858 Exodus of more than 200 Blacks from
San Francisco to Victoria, British Columbia. The
commemoration of the 1858 Exodus will provide opportunities
to examine the contemporary African American out-migration
from San Francisco.
Commemorative events will include an ecumenical service
co-sponsored by the 150 year old First AME Zion Church, a
re-enactment of the exodus at the National Park Service
Hyde Street Pier, a reception at the Port of San Francisco,
a scholars’ forum at Bethel AME Church , joint meetings of
the Society’s and SF Unified School District History
Teachers’ book clubs and presentations at the San Francisco
Board of Supervisor’s and the Port Commission meetings.
In the journal Phylon
Robert W.
O’Brien wrote that
“(i)n 1858 some eight hundred colored persons migrated
from California to the British Crown Colony of Victoria.
The story back of this migration is one of discrimination
and legal strangulation which made California virtually a
slave state.”
The commemorative events will educate San Franciscans about
a little known part of the City’s history and about the
courage and enduring struggle of Blacks to escape from
slavery and find freedom.
For more information about the commemoration of the
150th
anniversary of
the 1858 Exodus of Blacks from San Francisco to Victoria,
BC please call the San Francisco African American
Historical & Cultural Society at 415.292.6172 or visit
the Exodus website at
www.sfexodus.com.
The San Francisco African American Historical &
Cultural Society was founded in 1955. It’s mission is to
document, preserve and present the history and culture of
San Francisco’s African American community. The Society is
a membership based institution open to all who support its
mission. For more information visit the Society's website
at sfaahcs.org
USF Article
Article
SF Bayview
Article
KGO Video
KALW 91.7 Audio
sfexodus.com
is sponsored by justicefound.org