The Minister of Labour, Community Affairs and Sports, the Hon. Lovitta Foggo, is encouraging the public to support a series of events being hosted this month in the lead up to the Emancipation Day observances.

Emancipation Day is August 1st, and is traditionally observed the first day of the Cup Match holiday.

This month, the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs is sponsoring and organizing a number of activities, speaking engagements and events to encourage historical awareness. The events slated for this year are specifically intended to focus on the legacy of Bermudian abolitionist Mary Prince.

Minister Foggo said today, “History has documented that for over four centuries millions of men, women and children were victims of the horrific transatlantic slave trade. This month provides us with an opportunity to not only remember those who suffered and died, but to raise awareness of and celebrate our Emancipation from the brutal system of slavery. This month in some small way, we have sought to explore Bermuda’s African and Caribbean links as a way to honour the development and progress of our people following slavery.

“Mary Prince is considered Bermuda’s most renowned enslaved person, and generations of people of colour throughout the diaspora stand on her shoulders because of her courageous and selfless actions. We have learned that she was the first enslaved woman in the British West Indies to give a formal account of her life. History tells us that her autobiography was so authentic and poignant that it contributed to the abolition of slavery in Bermuda and the British Caribbean. So, this month we have dedicated much of our focus to the legacy of Mary Prince, who endured the cruelties and indignities that the institution of slavery imposed on her and all enslaved people. We are able to enjoy the benefits of freedom in part because of her.”

“Mary Prince’s legacy along with other important historical accounts will be discussed this month by accomplished and renown scholars and authors, and showcased through a series of interactive events. So, we encourage as many residents as possible to support the efforts of the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs as they seek to share our history with the wider public.”

The events planned and descriptions are as follows:

Friday July 5, 12, 19, 24 and 26

Titan Express Mary Prince Legacy Bus Tour:

Sponsored by the Department of Community and Cultural Affairs

Journey on a bus tour and discover the untold legacy and story of Mary Prince, and her contribution towards Emancipation in Bermuda.

In this tour you will visit sites, and learn historical accounts about her life as an enslaved woman.

Time: 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM

Details: Visit www.titantoursbermuda.com or contact 234-1096 for tickets or more details.

Tuesday, July 16

Bermudian Heartbeats 14th Annual Dr. Kenneth E. Robinson/Cyril Outerbridge Packwood Memorial Lecture: Langston Hughes, Bermuda, and the World of Poetry

Speakers: Dr. Arnold Rampersad, Professor Emeritus, Stanford University

Langston Hughes was a poet of the people, especially people of African descent in America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda; he also was a champion of an all-embracing, universal humanity.

Time: 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM

Location: Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute

Cost: This is event is free to the public and does not require a ticket

Details: Visit www.communityandculture.bm or call 292-1681 for more details.

Thursday, July 18

Writing Our Lives: The Importance of Autobiography and Biography Today

Speakers: Dr. Arnold Rampersad, Professor Emeritus, Stanford University

A discussion of autobiography, memoir, and biography spanning from the New Testament, to the writing of Mary Prince, to the present; and a reflection on the crucial importance of “life-writing” to our understanding of ourselves and our history.

Time: 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM

Location: St. Theresa’s Cathedral Hall

Cost: This is event is free to the public and does not require a ticket

Details: Visit www.communityandculture.bm or call 292-1681 for more details.

Thursday, July 25

The Latter Days of Mary Prince

Speakers: Dr. Margôt Maddison-MacFadyen, Banting Postdoctoral Fellow, Nipissing University; Performance of “A Woman Named Prince”, choreographed by Conchita Ming and performed by Arielle Lee Ming, Rhona Pedro, and Sandra Williams

Journey through Mary Prince’s life, to not only confirm Prince’s testimony, but to also broaden Prince’s story of slavery and freedom. Dr. Maddison-MacFadyen will point out structures associated with Mary Prince in Bermuda, Grand Turk Island, Antigua, and London (UK), and will also provide new information about Prince’s mother Susannah, as well as new information about the latter years of Prince’s life. Following the lecture, there will be an interpretive dance performance of “A Woman Named Prince”.

Time: 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Location: Earl Cameron Theatre, City Hall

Cost: This is event is free to the public and does not require a ticket

Details: Visit www.communityandculture.bm or call 292-1681 for more details.

• Press release from the Ministry of Labour, Community Affairs and Sports