Across the Island members of the community are questioning why they didn't know about the existence of the Lane School, the first educational facility for black children after emancipation.

Moreover, many are asking the Draft Bermuda Development Plan Tribunal not to allow the property on East Broadway to be rezoned for commercial use. Such an act would pave the way for the school, built in 1836, to be demolished. Anti-racism group CURB was one of the groups to object to such rezoning. Its chairwoman, Lynn Winfield, explained why the group thinks preserving the building is important for Bermudians.

Q: Why is it important for CURB that this building be protected?

A: The Lane School represents so many things. For our ancestors, when it was built in 1836 the hopes, dreams, prayers and aspirations of generations of slaves for over 200 years went into the building of its walls.

Once built, it continued to offer not only an education for ex-slaves, but also spiritual guidance in its role as a chapel at weekends, a place of socialisation and community, and a meeting place for the Young Men's Friendly Society (famous for their role in saving the slaves on the brigantine Enterprise).

It was a place where black Bermudians could finally have the freedom to meet, talk, socialise and discuss their future, to make a better life for themselves.

The role of the friendly societies in sharing, educating, supporting and offering comfort to the black community was extraordinary. Most importantly they provided socioeconomic direction to the black community, and their story deserves to be shared in greater depth with the Bermudian public.

For the Anglican Church, who (being persuaded by the Young Men's Friendly Society) raised funds together with the black community to build Lane School and later six other chapels/schools, it was their first step on the road to redemption and reparation for their part in condoning slavery.

For black Bermudians, the building is a visual memory of what the heart of a people can achieve despite adversity. Their many descendants walk our streets today and this beautiful location would provide a place where they could go to learn about the myriad achievements of black Bermudians, as well as provide a place to reconnect to their past and honour their ancestors.

For white Bermudians it will become a place where they will begin to discover the other side of our history. In the past Bermuda's history was written by whites and naturally reflects their interests, concerns and philosophy. Historically black society and achievements were considered irrelevant and of no importance.

Very little attention was paid to their lives and experiences, nor the many contributions made by enslaved and free blacks.

Seminal works written and researched by black Bermudians Dr. Cyril Packwood's 'Chained on the Rock', Dr. Kenneth E. Robinson's 'Heritage', Dr. Eva Hodgson's 'Second Class Citizens: First Class Men', Mrs. Nellie Musson's 'Mind the Onion Seed', and white Bermudian Mr. James Smith's 'Slavery in Bermuda' were published and largely ignored, and subsequently failed to be incorporated into our education system.

Today that historic neglect is being reversed and a renaissance of our history is in the making. Many Bermudians are involved in new empirical research to shed more light on the history and huge contributions of black Bermudians… who have for too long been our invisible ancestors.

With regard to CURB's counter objection to the rezoning, the heroine of the hour should be Ms LeYoni Junos who spent huge amounts of her free time doing research at the Bermuda Archives verifying the incredible history of Lane School, taking the time to submit a detailed counter objection to the rezoning, and whose research in turn alerted CURB to the application to rezone the building for commercial development.

Lane School offers our community an extraordinary opportunity to work together to purchase and restore the building and also to discover a common interest in our history.

It will allow us, together, to find a more truthful, inclusive and enlightened view of our past, which in turn will help us work towards a true reconciliation as a people.

Q: What kind of feedback has CURB had from others?

A: Before CURB put in its formal counter objection to the rezoning, we wrote to the relevant Government departments, as well as historic, environmental and faith-based organisations and other interested parties, appealing to them to send in counter objections to the rezoning before the deadline 30th October.

We have heard that to date the Bermuda Historical Society and BEST have both put in counter objections, and we are extremely hopeful that other organisations will respond to the appeal so that an overwhelming outcry against this development is on file for when the tribunal meets. General public feedback to date has been extremely positive and people are excited by the news. Noticeably the most common comment is amazement i.e. "I didn't know anything about it."

Q: What does CURB hope comes from the meeting with the Draft Bermuda Tribunal on October 30?

A: We have every faith that the tribunal will come to the right decision in the best interests of the people of Bermuda.