The Black Loyalists were the first large group of people of African ancestry to settle in Halifax, in 1782. In 1796 the Jamaican Maroons arrived. Then in 1813, Black refugees fleeing the United States came. These Loyalists, Maroons, and refugees settled in the Preston area, and although some subsequently left for Sierra Leone, many stayed and established the largest community of African Nova Scotians in the province. Since then, the Preston township—comprising North Preston, East Preston, and Lake Loon/Cherry Brook—has become a web of vibrant neighbourhoods with a rich and complex history.

With care and precision, award-winning writer Wanda Lauren Taylor delves into the history and development of this area, the organizations and churches that helped bolster the population, and the struggles, successes, and personal stories of several Preston-area residents. Through interviews and archival documents, Taylor shows how a resilient group of marginalized people built a thriving community that generations of African Nova Scotians can be proud of. Contains seventy-five images, both contemporary and archival, of the people and places around Preston.

Wanda Taylor is an award-winning writer, filmmaker, journalist, and college professor.

As an author of fiction and nonfiction, Wanda writes across children's, YA and adult markets. Her next two fiction titles are set for release with HarperCollins Canada in June 2023 and Spring 2024. As a journalist and former television producer, Wanda has written and produced content for film and television. Her magazine features, poems, and essays appear in publications across Canada, the US, and the UK.

As a former Acquisitions Editor, Wanda has acquired and championed titles from emerging and established authors and continues to support the work of new writers as a freelance editor.

In her role as a sensitivity reader, Wanda works with publishers and authors on works in progress to ensure accuracy and authenticity in areas such as race, diversity, cultural history, social work, and trauma.

Wanda currently teaches courses in journalism, communications, and several writing courses. She previously taught journalism courses at King's, where she will continue to serve as a mentor in the MFA Writing and Publishing program.

Wanda Taylor's profile page