Hashtag: #SlaveryInBermuda
The Dual Legacies Of Denmark Vesey
Ground was broken last year for a South Carolina monument commemorating the former slave of a Bermuda sea captain accused of organising the largest slave revolt in American history — but uncertainty continues to cloud the true legacy of Denmark Vesey. The memorial, designed by celebrated American sculptor Ed Dwight, will stand in Charleston’s... Read more of this article
Freed Slaves’ Craving For Education
Newly emancipated blacks in Bermuda were so anxious for education — and so proficient at learning — the American Methodist Church considered establishing a school on the island to train Bermudians and US free men of colour to teach former slaves in the West Indies. Slaves were freed in all British territories — including Bermuda —... Read more of this article
Preschool Stages ‘Slave Girl’s Christmas’
Seasons Learning Centre, the Rosemont Avenue nursery/preschool, is bringing Bermuda a Christmas story drawn from the island’s history on Friday [Dec. 9] when they stage ”A Slave Girl’s Christmas”. The performance will be held at the Whitney Institute at 5.30pm and the young actors will interpret this story through drama, singing,... Read more of this article
Enduring Legacy Of Bermuda’s Mary Prince
Published exactly 180 years ago, Bermuda slave Mary Prince’s narrative of her life of servitude on the island and in the Caribbean has lost none of its power to shock. Or to inspire understanding and reconciliation among peoples. For Mary Prince’s first-hand account of the atrocities of slavery was not just intended as an indictment of... Read more of this article
Interview: Bermudian Slave Owner Descendant
A Bermudian who is a direct descendant of Captain John Ingham – who bought Mary Prince in 1805 for £57 pounds – was interviewed by London’s ‘Colorful Radio,’ and gave his views about the present day impact of racism and slavery through history. Mark Nash spoke on the occasion of yesterday’s unveiling of the Mary... Read more of this article
Premier Unveils Plaque Honouring Mary Prince
Yesterday [June 22] Premier Paula Cox participated in a celebratory reception at the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, and unveiled a commemorative bronze plaque honouring the life of Mary Prince, an abolitionist and author who lived near the site of Senate House [University of London]. The unveiling was hosted and... Read more of this article
Exhibit Of Bermuda’s Slavery Archives Opens
Minister Neletha Butterfield recently opened the Bermuda Archives Slavery Exhibit featuring Bermuda’s pre-emancipation period and displaying selected narratives written in the early 1830s by three women of very different circumstances. Pictured below from left to right are CedarBridge Academy students along with Mrs. Kalmar Richards, Principal of... Read more of this article
Halifax To Host Diaspora Trail Meeting
The African Diaspora Heritage Trail Foundation – founded in Bermuda in 2002 — will hold its 2011 conference in Nova Scotia. The conference became an annual event in 2006, and has been held in Bermuda four times, as well as the Bahamas in 2007 and Tanzania in 2009. The Office of African Nova Scotian Affairs was a sponsor of the 2010 event... Read more of this article
Champion of St. David’s Ties Dies
Alice Lopez, one of the strongest champions of cultural ties between Native American Wampanoags and St. David’s Islanders descended from members of the Massachussetts tribe, has died suddenly. She was 49. Ms Lopez – an activist on behalf of Wampanoag housing rights on Cape Cod and a walking respository of tribal lore – collapsed... Read more of this article
UK Museum Stages Mary Prince Drama
The Museum of London is launching a one-hour dramatic reenactment of the life of Bermuda slave Mary Prince for visiting school children. An actor will be portraying the Bermudian woman whose 1831 memoir helped to galvanise the abolitionist movement and end the institution of chattel slavery in in British territories two years later in a production... Read more of this article
History: Christmas Report from 1816
In “Slavery in Bermuda”, historian James E Smith records that the big holiday of the year was Christmas; but he goes on to say that “their festive activities were not always greeted with stoic calm by the rest of the community.” Mr Smith quotes a newspaper article from November 1816 that was looking forward to the coming Christmas of 1816,... Read more of this article
New Bermuda Book: Freedom’s Flames
The second book in the ‘Icon Series’ has been released by Colwyn Burchall Jr. – “Freedom’s Flames: Slavery in Bermuda and The True Story of Sally Bassett.” The book, which is aimed at younger readers, was written by Bermudian Colwyn Burchall Jr, who presently divides his time between freelance writing and working as a... Read more of this article
Sally Bassett & ‘The Dangerous Spirit of Liberty’
Bermuda’s role in what was called the “contagion” of slave rebellions which spread throughout Britain’s Caribbean and North American colonies in the late 18th century was scrutinised at a recent University of the West Indies forum. In the story Sarah (Sally) Bassett, one of the most renowned figures in Bermudian history and... Read more of this article
Book on Seafaring Bermuda Slaves Wins Award
The first ever social and cultural account of 18th century Bermuda – and the first book to explore the unique ties between black and white Bermudian mariners whose seafaring exploits aboard the island’s cedar sloops opened a new chapter in Atlantic maritime history – has won a top academic prize in the US. University of Rochester historian... Read more of this article
Slavery Abolition Documents To Be Displayed
In their upcoming exhibition “The Legal Instruments of Emancipation” the Bermuda Archives will be displaying various documents relating to the abolition of slavery in Bermuda. The exhibition will be on display in the Public Reading Room at the Bermuda Archives from tomorrow [Oct 11] until October 29th, which coincides with the African Diaspora... Read more of this article
We Celebrated Emancipation – Millions Cannot
While Bermudians are recuperating this Monday morning from a fun-filled weekend holiday celebrating the slaves emancipation in 1834, numerous estimates indicate there are 27 million people still enslaved today. Many researchers say that is a greater number than at any other point in the world’s history, and various organizations report that approximately... Read more of this article
