Canada Put up has unveiled its 2025 Black Historical past Month stamp, honoring Marie Joseph Angélique, a exceptional determine whose story highlights the historical past of enslavement in Canada and the resistance of those that have been enslaved. Angélique’s narrative underscores the complicated and painful historical past of slavery in what’s now Canada, providing perception into how enslaved people fought for his or her freedom.
On April 10, 1734, a fireplace broke out in Montréal’s service provider quarter, destroying quite a few buildings. Marie Joseph Angélique, a 29-year-old enslaved Black girl, was arrested and accused of setting the fireplace. It was alleged that she began the blaze in an try to flee from her enslaver after studying that she had been bought and may be despatched to the West Indies.
Angélique’s trial lasted a number of weeks and featured testimony from over 20 witnesses, although none of them claimed to have seen the crime happen. A lot of the accusations towards her have been primarily based on her earlier makes an attempt to flee and her defiant conduct towards her enslaver. Regardless of sustaining her innocence, Angélique was discovered responsible and subjected to torture in an try to extract a confession. On June 21, 1734, she was publicly hanged.
The query of Angélique’s guilt stays a subject of debate amongst historians, however her story continues to encourage conversations about racial equality, justice, and the significance of confronting Canada’s complicated historical past with slavery.
The stamp options an illustration of Angélique, depicted with energy and resolve, her gaze difficult the viewer. Since no identified portraits of Angélique exist, the illustration was created from {a photograph} by Jorge Camarotti of actor and mannequin Penande Estime. The design of the stamp was completed by Nathalie Cusson of Scooter Design, with paintings by Alexis Eke and printing by Color Improvements.
The problem features a booklet of six Everlasting stamps and an Official First Day Cowl, with the cancel website in Montréal.
Stamps and associated collectibles can be found for buy at canadapost.ca and choose postal shops throughout Canada.
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