Shelburne Riots — White Loyalists Attack Black Loyalist Settlement in Nova Scotia

In July 1784, white Loyalist veterans rioted in Shelburne, Nova Scotia, attacking the adjacent Black Loyalist community of Birchtown. Rioters demolished homes and drove Black residents from the town. The attack — sometimes called the first race riot in Canadian history — left Birchtown residents destitute. Many had received no land grants or tools promised by the Crown. The violence deepened the community's disillusionment with British promises and eventually prompted their emigration to Sierra