Eddie Carvery‘s trailer, a symbol of the late Africville activist’s decades-long protest, was removed from the Halifax site over the weekend.
His family is expressing outrage over the decision and is demanding its return.
“It’s very disappointing to see what took place over Easter weekend,” said Carvery’s grandson, Eddie Carvery III.
“On Easter weekend, the holiest time of the year, they decide to move my grandfather’s trailer knowing his family would be at home celebrating Easter together.”
Carvery Sr. protested at the site for 55 years — making it the longest recorded protest in the country.
Africville, a historically Black community, was bulldozed by the City of Halifax in the late 1960s to make way for the MacKay Bridge.
Its former residents were displaced and didn’t receive compensation.
“We never got paid, we never got reimbursed. What they did to us was horrible,” Carvery told Global News on Aug. 1, 2025.
“And we get to this point and we’re still no further ahead.”
He lived on the site for decades despite attempts by municipal officials to evict and relocate him throughout the years.
“He symbolized hope. He symbolized those who had no voice, he gave them a voice. He showed them you could stand up against the people … who wanted to do you wrong,” his grandson said Monday.
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Africville’s former residents received an apology from the mayor and a settlement in 2010.
As part of the settlement, Seaview Park at the site was renamed Africville, and the Africville Heritage Trust was created to build and maintain the Africville Museum.
But Carvery continued to live at the trailer and last summer, the Africville Heritage Trust issued him a notice informing him he would have to remove his trailer because it could be a liability.
The Africville Genealogy Society backed Carvery and called for mediation between the Trust and Africville descendants.
Carvery continued his protest for justice until his death this past Feb. 14 at the age of 79.
His family says the removal of his trailer this past weekend was unfair and there was no correspondence from the Africville Heritage Trust about the decision.
As tensions flared Monday, police were called and officers spoke to the two sides.
“We would like his property back,” his daughter Denise Grouse told Global News.
“And we also would like to continue what we are doing, our fight and it’s not going to stop so please just return the camper or give us what we deserve, what he’s been fighting for all of his life.”
Africville Museum’s general manager, Juanita Peters, told Global News that the trailer was removed for safety reasons and is at an impound lot. She says a plaque will be installed in his memory.
But his family says that’s not sufficient and are demanding the trailer’s return.
“It stood as a testament for our people that one day we could get what we deserve and what we should have: and that’s our community back,” said his grandson.
Those who fought alongside Carvery say his protest carries on.
“He believed that the land should be brought back to the people of Africville and we could return home. That’s why it’s so important that this protest continues,” said Vincent Williams, president of the Africville Genealogy Society.
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