Heroes and Rebellions
Chloe Cooley’s story
Chloe Cooley was a young Black woman enslaved in Upper Canada in the late 1700s. She played a vital role in the abolishment of slavery in Canada. Her owners, Vrooman and his brother attempted to force her onto a boat to be sold in New York. Chloe screamed for her freedom, but this was not her first act of resistance. She often left her owners’ property for long periods of time and brought their personal possessions with her. However, it was her vehement resistance to being put on a boat that caught the attention of onlookers who informed Lieutenant-Governor John Graves Simcoe.
While Chloe was not saved that day, Simcoe used Cooley’s bondage as an argument for the abolishment of slavery in Canada. His initial bill to ban slavery received opposition. Members of parliament already enslaved African and Indigenous people, so the bill was amended and passed as An Act to Prevent the further Introduction of Slaves and to limit the Term of Contracts for Servitude on July 9th 1793.
According to the Act, importing enslaved persons to Upper Canada was prohibited. However, slaves could still be sold in the province and in the U.S. This was the beginning of a gradual movement towards abolition; slavery would end 25 years later. The 1793 Act contributed to the extension of the Underground Railroad into Upper Canada, and the gradual abolition of slavery in Canada.
Watch following video about Chloe Cooley: