Roseland Theatre (Nova Scotia)
| Address | 188 Provost Street New Glasgow, Nova Scotia Canada |
|---|---|
| Type | Movie theater and nightclub |
| Current use | Office space |
| Opened | 1913 |
| Closed | 2015 |
| Years active | 1913–1990 cinema, 2001–2015 nightclub |
The Roseland Theatre is landmark theatre in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. Originally built for silent films, it is one of the oldest movie theater buildings in Nova Scotia but it is best known as the location of a human rights case involving Viola Desmond, who challenged racial segregation in 1946. It was converted from a movie theatre to the "Roseland Cabaret" nightclub in the early 2000s and to office space in 2015.
The Roseland Theatre was built in 1913 at the corner of Forbes and Provost Streets after a fire destroyed a hardware store and Oddfellows Lodge which had previously occupied the prominent location in downtown New Glasgow. The new theatre was built by John D. Grant, a local builder who later became the mayor of New Glasgow. Constructed of brick with three stories, the theatre included a marquee and two large display windows promoting current and coming attractions. The first owner was Henry (Harry) MacNeil. The theatre was renovated and updated for sound in 1929. The theatre marquee was topped with a large neon rose, which became a landmark in New Glasgow as the pre-eminent theatre in the town. It was also one of the two main film theatres for the Pictou County area - and the only one with a balcony.
Nova Scotia did not have racial segregation laws for businesses such as theatres, but like all other Canadian provinces, it allowed business owners to enforce racial segregation if they wished. In 1941, in response to complaints from white customers, the Roseland segregated its theatre, forcing African Nova Scotians to sit in the balcony. In 1943 a school class was ejected from the downstairs seats because the class included African Nova Scotia students. In response, Carrie Best, an African Nova Scotian writer and New Glasgow resident, decided to challenge the segregation. She arranged to purchase two tickets for the downstairs seating of the theatre and attempted to watch a film with her son James Calbert Best. Both were arrested and fought the charges in an attempt to challenge the legal justification of the theatre's segregation. Their case was unsuccessful and they had to pay damages to Roseland's owners. The experience helped motivate Carrie Best to found The Clarion, a newspaper aimed at African Nova Scotians which became an important voice in exposing racism.
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