Cooley, Chloe National Historic Person
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
Artist’s rendition of Chloe Cooley, 2017
(© Naomi Moyer in collaboration with historian Funké Aladejebi, 2017 / Taken from: https:/graphichistorycollective.com/project/poster-2-chloe-cooley)
Address :
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
Recognition Statute:
Historic Sites and Monuments Act (R.S.C., 1985, c. H-4)
Designation Date:
2022-01-11
Life Date:
0 to 0
Other Name(s):
-
Chloe Cooley
(Designation Name)
Research Report Number:
2021-03
Importance:
Early example of an enslaved woman of African descent who resisted enslavement
Plaque(s)
Existing plaque: Niagara River Scenic Outlook Point, Queenston Heights, Ontario
In March 1793, Chloe Cooley, an enslaved woman of African descent living in Queenston, was violently seized, bound, and transported against her will across the Niagara River to be sold in New York State. She screamed and resisted but could not break free. Peter Martin, a Black Loyalist witness, brought the horrors of Cooley’s capture to the attention of the Executive Council of Upper Canada. His testimony emboldened Lieutenant Governor Simcoe to pass legislation restricting enslavement, making Upper Canada a refuge for African American freedom seekers. Her courageous actions exemplify the resistance of enslaved women.