Silver coin Canada 2022 – Underground Railroad

This coin pays tribute to the hereditary slaves who fled to the North in search of freedom. Many failed to complete the journey and faced the same difficulties as those left behind. Those who did this built their legacy and shaped the mosaic that Canada is today.

The 2022 Black History coin commemorates the flight to freedom of those who “ride” the Underground Railroad to Canada, a safe haven after the abolition of slavery on August 1, 1834. From the early 1800s to 1865, at least 30,000 enslaved people of African ancestry fled to British North America through a secret network of routes and sanctuaries. Many of these freedom-seekers—men, women, and children—traveled on foot, often at night, to avoid recapture. Once in Canada, they took refuge in black communities and settled in parts of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia, where they were safe in their freedom but not free from discrimination.

Reverse: “Gospel Train” or Underground Railroad, a path to freedom for enslaved people of African descent in the 19th century. The placement of men, women and children along the edge of the coin creates a sense of circular motion, symbolizing a long and uninterrupted journey. The tall trees and rocky terrain are reminiscent of some of the challenges they faced in the wilderness, where they often battled the elements to avoid capture. Traveling at night, these freedom seekers orientate themselves to the Great Bear that appeared in the night sky, where the stars directed them north to freedom and a new life in “CANADA”.

Obverse: Maple leaf pattern, year 2022, denomination 20 USD and effigy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.