Learning more about Richard Pierpoint, who many call Canada’s first Black hero

Richard Pierpoint was an African slave who fought with the British to earn his freedom. He then became one of the first Black settlers in Niagara, before volunteering to fight again. This time to defend his new home from an American invasion.

Pierpoint was captured from his home in West Africa at the age of sixteen and sold into slavery, he earned his freedom decades later after fighting with the British in the American revolution.

Historian Rochelle Bush says he came to Niagara as a member of Butler’s Rangers, a loyalist unit engaged in guerrilla warfare against American rebels and faced extensive racism and discrimination from a community where slavery was a part of life. Bush says Pierpoint was stationed here in 1780, about where Fort George is now.

While living in Niagara, Pierpoint was living beside people of African descent who were enslaved. After the Rangers disbanded, Pierpoint was given 200 acres of land in recognition of his service, which included part of the former Centennial Gardens park in downtown St. Catharines. The park was renamed “Richard Pierpoint Park” last fall in his honour.

After the revolutionary war, Pierpoint became a community leader in St. Catharines, asking the government to allow Black people to settle adjacent land grants so they could help each other work the land together and live communally. The government said no, but it didn’t stop him from continuing to serve his community. He successfully pushed for the creation of an all-Black militia called the coloured corps to defend Canada in the War of 1812.

At the age of 68, Pierpoint fought with the corps in the battle of Queenston Heights, the Battle of Fort George, and the Battle of Stoney Creek.

If you want to learn more the St. Catharines museum is holding a series of events for Black History Month.