In 1854, Mary Ann Shadd Cary moved the printing of the Provincial from Windsor to Toronto to this location at present-day 143 King Street East among numerous shops and stores.
A printshop was also located at this address in 1851, with a James Stephens listed as the printer. Stephens printed the only slave narrative published in Canada, The Narrative of Thomas Smallwood. This was likely where the Provincial Freeman was printed.
The Provincial Freeman newspapers
The Provincial Freeman was one of the first newspapers published by and for Black people. Mary Ann Shadd Cary was the first Black woman and first woman of any racial background in North America to edit and publish a newspaper. During that era women were not permitted to own and operate businesses. Because of that, Mary Ann Shadd Cary enlisted the help of Black abolitionist Samuel Ringgold Ward, asking him to appear to be the founder of the newspaper, to which he consented.
The paper’s motto was 'Self Reliance is the Road to Independence.' The Provincial Freeman was “devoted to anti-slavery, temperance and literature.' It advocated for the abolition of slavery in the US and promoted emigration to Canada for freedom seekers and free and freed Black People. Mary Ann Shadd Cary wrote “A Plea for Emigration' or 'Notes for Canada West” in 1852 to encourage Black people to relocate to Canada West. This provided details on the province’s society. The Provincial Freeman newspaper carried local, national and international news, reporting on issues of importance to the Black community.
A range of topics
The paper covered a range of topics. It announced the arrival of freedom seekers and featured stories on the state of slavery in the United States, it included escape attempts, and challenges against the institutions in the courts. The Provincial Freeman discussed temperance, education, land ownership, and mutual aid societies. Readers were encouraged to insist on fair treatment, and to take legal action against racial discrimination.
The paper also championed women’s rights and provided a forum for Black women, showcasing their accomplishments and community work. The paper also ran advertisements for Black businesses in the province.
Initially, Shadd hid her gender, usually signing off as M.A. Shadd., Publishing Agent, because of the prevailing gender norms that perpetuated that women should not engage in public activities. In August 1854, in response to a letter to the editor addressed to Mr. M. A. Shadd, Mary Ann Shadd Cary responded, and signed her full name.
Support
After revealing that she was the editor, while receiving some support and encouragement, Shadd Cary and the paper faced a wave of sexist backlash. Mary Ann Shadd Cary hired some Black male community leaders and fellow comrades such as William Newman and Hezekiah Ford Douglas, who were involved as editors or contributors to the paper to help preserve the paper while she continued to work behind the scenes.
Mary Ann Shadd Cary continued to do some public speaking, which was uncommon for women at that time. She toured to sell the newspaper and encouraged people to purchase subscriptions, and she also discussed women’s rights. Mary Ann Shadd Cary navigated and pushed back against the restrictive gender norms imposed on women of the time.