Welcome
The enslavement of Africans and their descendants was the social, economic, and political norm in Bermuda for more than 200 years, as it was for the entire Atlantic region.
In 1833, the Slavery Abolition Act was passed by Britain’s House of Parliament, which outlawed the practice of enslavement in England and most of its colonies. On 1st August 1834 the Act came into effect, ushering in a new era for Bermuda and the world. Collectively, affected slave owners received £20,000,000 in compensation for their slaves, which equates to approximately £2,870,000,000 today. The enslaved received no compensation.
Upon emancipation, the practice of racial segregation became the societal standard in Bermuda creating first-class and second-class citizenry along lines of race. The practice affected every sector of Bermudian society, from education, to healthcare, to churches, to employment and others. The intention of racial segregation was to ensure that black Bermudians remained in a subordinate position to the island’s established white ruling class. This lasted for over a century until 1971, when the island’s public schools were formally desegregated by law.
Despite enduring centuries of atrocities and racial injustice, enslaved black Bermudians and their descendants have made indelible contributions to Bermuda while making bold, tireless strides towards their enfranchisement as full, equal citizens.
This site aims to honour and preserve the many stories, places and people that are a part of this legacy.
New Stories & People
Changing Times
July 12, 2022
Calls by Black leaders to end the blanket discrimination against Black nurses…Read more
Sterling Community Service
July 12, 2022
Sylvia Richardson, Iris Davis and Caro Spencer Wilson gave sterling service to…Read more
Scholarship Winners
July 12, 2022
In 1947, Edna Pearman Jones and Dr. Juanita Guishard Packwood set off…Read more
Lorraine Dyer Bizek: Trailblazer and mentor
July 12, 2022
Lorraine Dyer Bizek, one of the first Black Bermudians to train in…Read more
E.F. Gordon and the Gordon Girls
July 12, 2022
Dr. E. F. Gordon’s first battle after arriving in Bermuda in 1924…Read more