Photos & Video: Mary Prince Emancipation Park
As the island celebrates Mary Prince Day [August 2], you can virtually visit the Mary Prince Emancipation Park in Devonshire, via the photos, video and 360° below, and to read more about this iconic Bermudian national hero, please click here.
In July 2020, then then Minister of Community Affairs and Sports Lovitta Foggo announced in Parliament that Devonshire Bay Park will be renamed as ‘Mary Prince Emancipation Park.’
The Minister said, “Devonshire Bay Park was determined as the as the most appropriate site.
“Mary Prince was born in Brackish Pond. Brackish Pond was the colloquial name at that time for the parish of Devonshire and most of the houses where she was enslaved were also in Devonshire.
“This site not only reflects her connection to Devonshire, but the Park’s good access, central location, tranquility and proximity to the ocean facing south as an acknowledgement of the parts of her life spent in the Caribbean provides an ideal location to commemorate Mary Prince.”
“I am often much vexed, and I feel great sorrow when I hear some people in this country say, that the slaves do not need better usage, and do not want to be free,” Mary Prince wrote in her book.
“They believe the foreign people, who deceive them, and say slaves are happy. I say, Not so. How can slaves be happy when they have the halter round their neck and the whip upon their back?
“Thought no more of than beasts and are separated from their mothers, and husbands, and children, and sisters, just as cattle are sold and separated.”
“This is slavery. I tell it, to let English people know the truth; and I hope they will never leave off to pray God, and call loud to the great King of England, till all the poor blacks be given free, and slavery done up for evermore.
“All slaves want to be free, to be free is very sweet,” she said.
