Colette Derworiz
Ron Mapp poses for a photo in Edmonton, on Wednesday, Feb. 3, 2021. Mapp grew up in Amber Valley, Alta. and his great-grandfather was one of the scouts who visited the area and returned with the first wave of African-American settlers in 1910. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson February 04, 2021 - 8:36 AM
There isn t much left in Amber Valley.
There s a community hall, a few homes and a cemetery. Former residents say people driving by on the highway might not even notice it s there.
But they quickly add the almost forgotten community in northern Alberta has a rich history. Amber Valley was one of the biggest Black settlements in Western Canada, Ron Mapp, an Edmontonian who grew up in the community, said in an interview with The Canadian Press.
Communities such as Alberta s Amber Valley highlight importance of telling Black stories in Canada theglobeandmail.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from theglobeandmail.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.