191st Anniversary Of Emancipation
Bermuda will commemorate the 191st anniversary of Emancipation at Cup Match, with the African Diaspora Heritage Trail Foundation and the Bermuda Friendly Societies Association leading a moment of reflection and proclamation before the first ball.
A spokesperson said, “Bermuda will commemorate the 191st anniversary of Emancipation through the annual Cup Match event, a profound celebration of self-liberation and the enduring spirit of resistance. Members of the Foundation will join representatives of the Bermuda Friendly Societies Association and issue a proclamation with a moment of silence at 9:30AM just before the first ball of the annual Cup Match Classic at St George’s Cricket Club.
“The African Diaspora Heritage Trail [ADHT] Foundation calls on the public to remember that this annual 2-day holiday, dating back to 1902, honours the pivotal moment of emancipation that occurred throughout the British Empire in 1834, with special recognition of Mary Prince. Mary Prince was the enslaved African-Bermudian woman from Brackish Pond, Devonshire, who put Bermuda on the emancipation map with her testament being the first published narrative of an enslaved woman in the British colonies. This act of resistance played a significant role in the abolition of enslavement and emancipation of the enslaved throughout the British Empire.
“The annual commemoration draws inspiration from an extensive timeline of historic moments of African resistance, including the groundbreaking Haitian Revolution of 1804 – the first successful large-scale revolt by enslaved people in the Caribbean that established the first free Black republic. Today, this legacy continues through modern liberation movements across the African diaspora and continent, exemplified by contemporary leaders like Burkina Faso’s Captain Ibrahim Traore and Namibia’s President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.”
“This day is more than a historical marker,” says a Foundation spokesperson. “It’s a living testament to the unbreakable spirit of resistance that has defined our collective struggle for dignity and freedom.”
The ADHT Foundation invites Bermudians and global supporters to reflect on the transformative journey of liberation, echoing the powerful words of American actress Viola Davis: “If there is just about anything to rejoice it can be my ancestors, African People who survived the atrocity and stain of slavery… I honor them these days with a guarantee that I will keep on to combat for your unexplored desires and hopes.”
A spokesperson added, “Today, the Cup Match stands as a powerful reminder of Bermuda’s resilience, and Black Bermuda’s statement of collective worth and value.
“The ADHT Foundation invites Bermudians, visitors and guests – as a collective – to remember, reflect, and recommit to the ongoing process of decolonizing our bodies, minds, ideologies, and institutions.”
For extensive coverage of Cup Match spanning over a decade, visit our website BernewsCupMatch.com, the island’s most comprehensive resource on the Cup Match holiday.
- Over 7,000 photos here
- Over 200 videos here
- Over 100 graphics here
- History here
- Dedicated website: BernewsCupMatch.com
