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Richard Preston, (c. 1791 – 16 July 1861), was born a mulatto slave in Virginia. He escaped slavery from Virginia and, in 1816 went in search of his mother in Nova Scotia.

Contents 1 Personal Life 2 Ministry 3 Legacy 4 External links

[edit] Personal Life

Little is known of Richard Preston's early life. He had been enslaved in Virginia during the War of 1812, and it was in 1816 that he decided to go to Nova Scotia in search of his mother who had been a "Black Refugee" or who was one of the 2000 African Americans who escaped to the British after the Cochrane Proclamation. Preston was described as being "mulatto" or "light-skinned" and was said to "6'1" in height. He never married.

[edit] Ministry

Preston became one of the most important church and community leaders in Nova Scotia. He assisted in setting up 11 Baptist churches across the province.

Preston was trained as a minster in England and met many of the leading voices in the Abolitionist movement that helped to get the Slavery Abolition Act passed by the British Parliament in 1833. When Preston returned to Nova Scotia, he became the president of the Abolitionist movement in Halifax.

[edit] Legacy

East Preston and North Preston in Nova Scotia are named in his honor.

[edit] External links

• Rev. Richard Preston
• Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online

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