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African Nova Scotian research ethics project

This African Nova Scotian led project aims to ensure that research first "does no harm" but also benefits African Nova Scotian communities and reflects collective research priorities.听

Michelle Williams and Melisa Marsman converse during the 2026 ANS Archival Gathering

海角社区app the African Nova Scotian (ANS) research ethics project

The African Nova Scotian Research Ethics Project is focused on learning about the research needs of African Nova Scotians.

African Nova Scotians/Indigenous Blacks are a distinct people who descend from free and enslaved Black Planters, Black Loyalists, Black Refugees, Maroons, and other Black people who inhabited the original 52 land-based Black communities in that part of Mi'kma'ki known as Nova Scotia.

The project builds on a successful pilot community-based project initiated in 2021 and centers around the development of African Nova Scotian community-based research rules.

Research adhering to a protocol developed by African Nova Scotians can profoundly influence whether data perpetuates systemic racism or genuinely improves our lived experiences.

This research is led by Principal Investigator Professor Michelle Williams, as well as co-leads Professor Melisa Marsman and Dr. Barb Hamilton-Hinch.听

African Nova Scotian research ethics project

The pilot project involved in-person and online focus groups in various African Nova Scotian communities. We learned that African Nova Scotians in the focus groups want researchers to know:听

Please note that this is not a complete list of recommendations. Feedback from ANS community members is ongoing and continues to inform ANS research recommendations.

Get involved

This research project needs your input! We are doing this work in 3 phases, and you can be involved along the way.

African Nova Scotians*, are eligible to take part in step 2 and step 3:

*African Nova Scotians/Indigenous Blacks are a distinct people who descend from free and enslaved Black Planters, Black Loyalists, Black Refugees, Maroons, and other Black people who inhabited the original 52 land-based Black communities in that part of Mi'kma'ki known as Nova Scotia.

Meet the team

Funders and collaborators听

Contact us

For more information, please email us at ansethics@dal.ca or call (902) 431-0697.

To stay connected to our project, follow us on and .

and stay up to date on ANS Research News.听