Citizens Uprooting Racism in Bermuda (CURB) today backed plans by Government to erect a statue to honour Mary Prince, a former Bermudian slave who was the catalyst in the abolition of slavery in Bermuda and the slave trade in the British Empire of the day.

In a statement released today, a spokesperson said the statute should be placed “in a central and wheelchair accessible site, in a location with ample parking, so that the people of Bermuda, schoolchildren, and overseas visitors to the African Diaspora Heritage Trail have ease of access, free parking and an educational centre dedicated to Mary Prince so that her work and life can truly be commemorated”.

“This memorial to Mary Prince will also be a place for Bermudians to silently honour the thousands of enslaved Bermudians of African descent buried throughout the island with no headstones or memorial to their memory,” she added.

“A statute to Mary Prince will be the first in the world and it would be a moving and inspirational addition to the African Diaspora Trail in Bermuda, being visited by locals and overseas visitors alike.”

Government announced plans to erect a statue to honour Mary Prince, a Bermuda National Hero for her “extraordinary contributions to the emancipation of Bermudians of African descent, and the hundreds of thousands of others throughout the British colonies that were freed by emancipation”.

In follow-up to the announcement and CURB’s 2019 Racial Justice Platform, the spokesperson said they were excited by the rapid movement to fulfill this initiative.

“While we recognize how important this memorial will be to Bermudians, we cannot overlook that Mary Prince’s story impacted worldwide emancipation in the British Colonies, as she was pivotal in changing the hearts and minds of the voting public in the United Kingdom with the publication of her book The History of Mary Prince, the first account of the life of an enslaved Black women published in the U.K. in 1831.”

The statement continued: “This memorial to Mary Prince will also be a place for Bermudians to silently honour the thousands of enslaved Bermudians of African descent buried throughout the island with no headstones or memorial to their memory.

“A statute to Mary Prince will be the first in the world and it would be a moving and inspirational addition to the African Diaspora Trail in Bermuda, being visited by locals and overseas visitors alike.  We are confident that the Minister will make this a truly inclusive and educational outreach to the community by working together with history and arts organizations, schools and the people of Bermuda to create a truly collaborative effort to raise funds, celebrate and raise awareness about this extraordinary woman.  Thus, when Bermudians visit this statue, they will know that they are part of the work to create and honour Mary Prince.

“To that end we would encourage the Ministry to ensure the statue is located in a central and wheelchair accessible site, in a location with ample parking, so that the people of Bermuda, school children, and overseas visitors to the African Diaspora Heritage Trail have ease of access, free parking and an educational centre dedicated to Mary Prince so that her work and life can truly be commemorated.”

The History of Mary Prince was published in 1830 and helped turn the tide of public opinion in Britain against slavery, which was abolished in 1834.