Elizabeth Cromwell remembered as 'visionary' for preserving black N.S. history, culture

Many Nova Scotians are mourning the death of Elizabeth Cromwell, the matriarch and heartbeatof the Black Loyalist Heritage Centre in Birchtown, N.S.

Cromwell, who died in hospital on Oct. 2, was 75.

"I do believe that we in Nova Scotia have lost a really great visionary, but also as someone who passionately, and continued right up until she passed, believed in blacks in Nova Scotia, the broader black community across Canada and that we all have a voice," said Cynthia Dorrington, the site manager of the Black Loyalist Heritage Centre.

Cromwell was the founding president of the Black Loyalist Heritage Society andserved on its board as vice-president right up until her death. Shehelped establish the Black Loyalist Heritage Centre, whichacts as a hub of Black Loyalist history in Nova Scotia.

In the 1780s, Birchtown was the largest free black community in British North Americawith over 3,000 settlers.

Dorrington said the most valuable lesson Cromwell taught her was to have a vision and to surround herself with people who have the same vision.

"She was still serving because she believed ourcommunity can be a better community, as long as we can continue moving forward," Dorrington said.

In 2017, Cromwell was appointed to the Order of Canada as a member for her contributions inpreserving black heritage and education in Nova Scotia. She was also honoured with the Order of Nova Scotia, the province's highest award.

According to Cromwell's online obituary, she was a retired social worker who spent her career in Shelburne. She worked tirelessly for her community and served on the board of the Black Cultural Society of Nova Scotia.

Many accolades

Cromwell's other accolades included being awarded the Canada 125 medal, a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medaland two honorary degrees.

Craig Smith is president of the Black Cultural Society of Nova Scotia. He said Cromwell's contributions, which resulted in a new centre opening in 2015 after the former one burned down, had an impact provincially and nationally.

"There's no question that the Loyalist centre, that Lawrence Hill's book, The Book of Negroes, in telling the story of the Black Loyalists raised the profile of who the Black Loyalists were internationally, really," Smith said.

He spoke to Cromwell last month for a book he's working on that recognizes black people from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick who have been Order of Canada recipients or provincial order recipients.

"She'd said she'd had surgery and it was going to be a long road back," Smithsaid.

Cromwellis survived by four sons and one daughter. A celebration of life for Cromwell will be held at a later date.