A friendly march through Hamilton will be one of the main events commemorating the emancipation of slaves in Bermuda later this month.

The walk from Barr's Bay Park to Union Square is part of a string of activities honouring the freeing of slaves and aiming to educate people about the Island's history.

It is described as a friendly society march, celebrating black fellowship and entrepreneurship, and takes place on Monday, July 28, at 6.30 p.m. The Somerset Brigade Band will lead the procession.

Junior Minister of Culture and Social Rehabilitation Thaao Dill announced the events in the Senate yesterday.

Others include:

• Saturday, July 19, 5 p.m. at the Rubber Tree, next to Warwick Post Office: Mount Zion's male voice choir, members of the Bahai faith and representation from the African community. 'A Woman Named Prince' dance in honour of Bermudian slave Mary Prince, whose book of her life galvanised the anti-slavery movement in the UK.

• Sunday, July 27, 5.30 p.m. at Tucker's Town Burial Site: Department of Community and Cultural Affairs will join Marsden First United Methodist Church for a service of praise featuring the Marsden male voice choir and St. Philip's Liturgical Dance Ministry.

• Tuesday, July 29, 8 p.m. at Bernard Park: 'Trial By Fire: Sally Bassett's Streams of Consciousness' — a dramatic presentation of the story of the legendary slave who was burned at the stake at Crow Lane in 1730.

• Thursday, August 7, 7 p.m. at Liberty Theatre: The third annual Kenneth Robinson and Cyril Packwood memorial lecture, 'Scattered Africa: Faces and Voices of the African Diaspora', delivered by Sheila Walker who has worked with the UNESCO Slave Route project.

Emancipation Day in Bermuda was August 1, 1834, when Bermuda's 4,200 slaves — almost half the population — won immediate freedom following decades of campaigning.

Slavery had been an integral part of Bermudian life since the Island's first settlement in the early 17th Century.

Sen. Dill told the Upper House: "This Government believes that it is important to celebrate and honour the emancipation of Bermuda's bondspeople as one of the most momentous events in our country's history.

"This year's celebratory events are spread over several weeks and feature diverse events that will not only commemorate and honour the freeing of Bermuda's slaves, but will also educate and inform Bermuda's peoples about this aspect of our history."