1 00:00:00,090 --> 00:00:06,360 Our next panellist is Dr. Eva Hudson. She is the former president of the Bermuda Union of Teachers. 2 00:00:06,360 --> 00:00:11,490 The recipient of the Russell Award for Contributing to World Peace from the World Confederation of 3 00:00:11,490 --> 00:00:17,790 the Organisation of the Teaching Profession that and received her doctorate from Columbia University 4 00:00:17,790 --> 00:00:23,760 and is currently concerned with addressing the internalised racism of blacks in Bermuda through an 5 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:29,190 organisation which she founded called the National Association for Reconciliation of the Nation. 6 00:00:29,190 --> 00:00:33,060 Her book, Second Class Citizens 1st Class Men, 7 00:00:33,060 --> 00:00:37,800 is a discussion of the efforts and protests made by the coloured MPs during the 8 00:00:37,800 --> 00:00:43,860 50s and the challenge of the progressive and serious during the early sixties. 9 00:00:43,860 --> 00:00:47,040 It particularly emphasises W. L. Tucker, 10 00:00:47,040 --> 00:00:55,680 whose motion to extend the franchise proved the motivating factor for Roosevelt Brown to initiate the Committee for Universal Adult Suffrage, 11 00:00:55,680 --> 00:01:05,510 which led to our eventual achievement of Universal franchise, is the gentleman Dr. Ebro Hudson. 12 00:01:05,510 --> 00:01:17,470 This book was written in the 1960s, and when you read it, there will become some expressions which will make it clear that it's a long time ago. 13 00:01:17,470 --> 00:01:28,990 Doctor Ken Duck as a successful physician, had all of those humanitarian qualities which are so important to. 14 00:01:28,990 --> 00:01:38,350 His flair for people and high society made him move easily in purely social gatherings. 15 00:01:38,350 --> 00:01:44,680 Functions which have no other purpose saved the enjoyment of one's fellow. 16 00:01:44,680 --> 00:01:55,980 He retained his popularity until his death. Mr Tucker, albeit aloof, sincere and very serious about life, 17 00:01:55,980 --> 00:02:04,680 developed a strong sense of duty in himself and looked for it in others as a successful businessman. 18 00:02:04,680 --> 00:02:15,260 His qualities were not those of easy charm. Social gatherings for him were functions of one social obligations. 19 00:02:15,260 --> 00:02:27,600 Duck seldom lost his patience. This was often impatient and often abrupt, and just as often repentant and quick to acknowledge his era. 20 00:02:27,600 --> 00:02:33,810 Strong and stubborn. He never hesitated to say I'm sorry. 21 00:02:33,810 --> 00:02:41,640 Those who knew him closely said, Oh, he forgets. Perhaps he did, but he never forgot kindness. 22 00:02:41,640 --> 00:02:46,650 One of his most human qualities was his sense of gratitude. 23 00:02:46,650 --> 00:02:53,670 Four years after he would remember and talk about an act of kindness or thoughtfulness, 24 00:02:53,670 --> 00:03:00,450 and sometimes it seemed as if the more insignificant or casual the act, the greater the gratitude. 25 00:03:00,450 --> 00:03:10,350 At least some of Dr. Khan's success lay in his extreme self-confidence, which was almost a flamboyant egotism. 26 00:03:10,350 --> 00:03:18,890 He was always very sure about his ability and about the contribution which he could make and had made. 27 00:03:18,890 --> 00:03:28,140 Mr Tucker returned a surprising humility and any contribution which he did make it quickly forgot. 28 00:03:28,140 --> 00:03:37,020 Doctor can compared his achievement, success and influence to that of his fellow Negroes. 29 00:03:37,020 --> 00:03:47,500 And he knew that he was a giant. Mr Tucker compared his to that of his white colleagues and knew that the result of 30 00:03:47,500 --> 00:03:56,490 all his efforts were circumscribed and limited by the prejudices of his island home. 31 00:03:56,490 --> 00:04:03,700 In the 1980s, there was a third edition. And in that edition, I wrote. 32 00:04:03,700 --> 00:04:12,670 Second class citizens, first class men in describing the struggle of black politicians in the nineteen fifties, 33 00:04:12,670 --> 00:04:24,950 also describes the struggles of the entire black community, then the black politicians believed that they had a responsibility to represent. 34 00:04:24,950 --> 00:04:34,460 Today, with our superficial integration, most black black politicians are not generally perceived, 35 00:04:34,460 --> 00:04:40,480 nor do they regard themselves as representing the black community. 36 00:04:40,480 --> 00:04:52,120 Integration has brought the erosion of many significant, although once identified, values within the black community. 37 00:04:52,120 --> 00:04:59,140 Black women in particular have paid a very heavy price for this erosion. 38 00:04:59,140 --> 00:05:11,140 In the 1950s, in our segregated black community, black women were recognised as being important in our racially segregated societies. 39 00:05:11,140 --> 00:05:18,800 The oppressive myths of racism is most destructive and soul destroying for men. 40 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:25,940 In Bermuda, particularly, women were not only the backbone and strength of the black family, 41 00:05:25,940 --> 00:05:33,530 but they were the ones who became the teachers within the community and were respected as such. 42 00:05:33,530 --> 00:05:37,730 While sons were sent to work at an early age, 43 00:05:37,730 --> 00:05:49,130 black families often tried to protect their daughters from the most humiliating and degrading aspects of racism by trying to educate them. 44 00:05:49,130 --> 00:05:53,810 It was clearly a socially destructive agenda for the black community. 45 00:05:53,810 --> 00:06:00,180 In fact, that continues to manifest itself in our prison population. 46 00:06:00,180 --> 00:06:08,850 Does black women did and still do play a significant role in the black community? 47 00:06:08,850 --> 00:06:20,950 In the 1950s, the contribution of black women was recognised and respected within the black community, despite an elite and sexism. 48 00:06:20,950 --> 00:06:29,610 Integration has made a significant difference for many black men who have been prepared to support the job. 49 00:06:29,610 --> 00:06:41,490 Part of the price of integration has been the emergence or intensification within the black community of male chauvinism and sexism, 50 00:06:41,490 --> 00:06:53,000 which seems so pervasive within the white community. And the consequent demeaning of black women, particularly of older black women. 51 00:06:53,000 --> 00:07:04,180 In Bermuda, this has led to new rhetoric and new newly expressed concerns about the role of middle class women black and white. 52 00:07:04,180 --> 00:07:11,980 This has served to obscure and detract from the far greater problems of the majority of Bermuda's black, 53 00:07:11,980 --> 00:07:17,430 seasonally seasonally employed female wage earners. 54 00:07:17,430 --> 00:07:23,910 In the race to maintain a minimum standard of living and to accumulate consumer goods that 55 00:07:23,910 --> 00:07:30,540 they hoped would give them a sense of worth in the face of continuing social exclusion, 56 00:07:30,540 --> 00:07:37,490 blacks, particularly black women, have had less and less time for their families. 57 00:07:37,490 --> 00:07:42,410 Black politicians once tried to represent the black community. 58 00:07:42,410 --> 00:07:51,870 Today, with black politicians representing only their own interests, not just the black community, but the entire country has suffered. 59 00:07:51,870 --> 00:07:57,630 The church, which once played an important role in the social life of the black community, 60 00:07:57,630 --> 00:08:07,590 has become irrelevant to a younger generation tempted by government approved Sunday marathons and other sports activities. 61 00:08:07,590 --> 00:08:13,920 This generation that believes that drugs can take the place of the church. 62 00:08:13,920 --> 00:08:24,090 And appreciation for education, home ownership, respect for older people and a recognition of the contribution of black women moral values 63 00:08:24,090 --> 00:08:31,810 that once gave blacks a sense of community and self-worth despite their exclusion. 64 00:08:31,810 --> 00:08:42,370 In the 1980s, the black role models and decision makers demeaned those values as they became integrated and came 65 00:08:42,370 --> 00:08:50,960 to see material wealth and political power as the only socially rewarding goals to strive for. 66 00:08:50,960 --> 00:09:00,410 Social justice and genuine democracy were no longer goals after which to strive or for which to sacrifice. 67 00:09:00,410 --> 00:09:12,790 The future for the majority of black Bermudian is today in terms of quality of life and peace of mind is far bleaker than it was in the 1950s. 68 00:09:12,790 --> 00:09:19,670 The upper strata of our society that controls both political and economic wealth. 69 00:09:19,670 --> 00:09:26,920 Well, largely in the hands of white Bermudian is managed almost totally by strangers. 70 00:09:26,920 --> 00:09:37,570 Family life and positive social values, which once gave meaning to life have been replaced by the race for inclusive material wealth, 71 00:09:37,570 --> 00:09:47,530 which is always just beyond the grasp. And a reckoning on the part of the black community to the recognition that the need for struggle 72 00:09:47,530 --> 00:09:56,430 and sacrifice is greater today than it was in the 1950s might conceivably make some difference. 73 00:09:56,430 --> 00:10:07,380 But the real battle for Bermudian identity and the possibility of Bermudian control over our lives and destinies is probably lost forever, 74 00:10:07,380 --> 00:10:13,890 irrespective of what ultimately happens in terms of the political independence from Great Britain, 75 00:10:13,890 --> 00:10:19,260 since the government already behaves as if Bermuda were in American territory. 76 00:10:19,260 --> 00:10:35,328 Even though we are still a British colony and it is obviously determined to continue to flood Bermuda with expatriates from every corner of the world.