1 00:00:00,060 --> 00:00:01,230 Good morning, everyone. 2 00:00:01,230 --> 00:00:09,780 I like to say thank you to the organisers of this event, I do appreciate being invited and giving this great opportunity to speak at this time. 3 00:00:09,780 --> 00:00:15,960 I also want to say thank you to my fellow panellists. Definitely a high bar to follow. 4 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:19,140 And definitely amongst the very elite company on this panel. 5 00:00:19,140 --> 00:00:25,320 So I'll try and do my best for the next few minutes when I present some thoughts because it's definitely not a paper they see at 10 minutes, I see it. 6 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:29,910 That's not a paper man. I'm a teacher and I'm long winded. 7 00:00:29,910 --> 00:00:35,450 And what's happening? I'm to try and make it work through to try and make it work. 8 00:00:35,450 --> 00:00:40,190 In the future, we will call Reconsider in 1959, 9 00:00:40,190 --> 00:00:47,660 and the long struggle for desegregation in Bermuda 1959 was truly an eventful year in the British colony of Bermuda, 10 00:00:47,660 --> 00:00:56,150 as the island's apparent tranquillity was punctuated by a boycott of movie theatres in June that brought a crashing end to segregation. 11 00:00:56,150 --> 00:01:01,730 However, this significant historical moment in June was sandwiched between a series of 12 00:01:01,730 --> 00:01:07,490 events that should cause us to question the completeness of this apparent victory. 13 00:01:07,490 --> 00:01:14,870 How also it should help us reconsider the meanings of June 1959 and cause us to align our 14 00:01:14,870 --> 00:01:21,410 perspectives more closely with those activists who fought these great racial battle. 15 00:01:21,410 --> 00:01:29,660 With these thoughts in mind, I would just like us to reflect on some events which occurred before and after the theatre boycott of 1959, 16 00:01:29,660 --> 00:01:36,730 before concluding with a thought from the progressive group. And if you're wondering, it's up there. 17 00:01:36,730 --> 00:01:48,580 It was May 15th, exactly one month before the start of the year boycott, when the famous African-American poet Langston Hughes arrived in Bermuda, 18 00:01:48,580 --> 00:01:54,010 Langston Hughes had been invited by the Women's Auxiliary of the Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity, 19 00:01:54,010 --> 00:02:01,180 and he performed poetry readings at Berkeley Institute, made speeches for the Bermuda Union of Teachers and visited a number of schools 20 00:02:01,180 --> 00:02:07,330 around the island while residing at the Östlund villa there in Pembroke. 21 00:02:07,330 --> 00:02:13,650 Hughes penned a letter to a friend of hers in New York City, describing his thoughts on the island. 22 00:02:13,650 --> 00:02:19,230 He commented the following. He said, Bermudian said, and I quote, treated me so nice. 23 00:02:19,230 --> 00:02:25,630 I ought to love their island. But not I may not at all. 24 00:02:25,630 --> 00:02:30,910 In the paragraph which followed, Hughes revealed some of the reasons for his dislike for Bermuda. 25 00:02:30,910 --> 00:02:41,340 He stated that the island was home and I quote almost as segregated as North Carolina and full of British crackers. 26 00:02:41,340 --> 00:02:43,430 A minute long pause, don't take this for my time, 27 00:02:43,430 --> 00:02:49,910 but I'm gonna need some help from some literature scholars because I'm not sure which kind of crackers his talking about, 28 00:02:49,910 --> 00:02:55,220 but this one should put cheese on or do you two legged ones? I was at a difficulty. 29 00:02:55,220 --> 00:02:59,390 I decided I must admit this I have a Ph.D., but I struggled with this crack also. 30 00:02:59,390 --> 00:03:03,770 So somebody helped me out after the conclusion there all. Please thank you. 31 00:03:03,770 --> 00:03:07,310 You could stop my time again. 32 00:03:07,310 --> 00:03:15,920 The fact that a British visit, the fact that a black visitor to Bermuda would come pretty Ireland's racial climate to the southern United States, 33 00:03:15,920 --> 00:03:19,460 a place that engineer Jim Crow segregation, 34 00:03:19,460 --> 00:03:28,640 brief that even for a second is telling in that it reveals the palpable nature of segregation in the 1950s and undermines the 35 00:03:28,640 --> 00:03:36,560 arguments of white Bermudian segregationists who claim that the island's colour line was benign when compared to the United States. 36 00:03:36,560 --> 00:03:37,610 More significantly, 37 00:03:37,610 --> 00:03:47,150 the testimony of Langston Hughes bears witness to the problem of racism that they feared a boycott us would soon fight against steel more than this. 38 00:03:47,150 --> 00:03:53,900 I draw attention to Langston Hughes and and Villar to highlight the significance of black tourists and 39 00:03:53,900 --> 00:04:00,290 the black owned tourism sector in the long struggle for desegregation and civil rights in Bermuda. 40 00:04:00,290 --> 00:04:03,050 You see, in the years leading up to the vote, a boycott. 41 00:04:03,050 --> 00:04:09,230 Black tourists were vocal critics of Bermudian segregation and as consumers of the islands no. 42 00:04:09,230 --> 00:04:15,230 One product of tourism, they made their opinions known in the African-American press. 43 00:04:15,230 --> 00:04:19,580 The Bermuda recorder and the periodicals of other Caribbean islands. 44 00:04:19,580 --> 00:04:24,470 The owners and operators of black hotels, guesthouses and other hospitality services. 45 00:04:24,470 --> 00:04:31,110 They joined with black tourists in challenging the colour line. They spoke out at public events like the Leopards Clubs Dinner. 46 00:04:31,110 --> 00:04:37,070 Some of you might remember Do's the The Lodge formal complaints before the tourism officials, 47 00:04:37,070 --> 00:04:40,790 and they advocated for civil rights causes in the House of Assembly, 48 00:04:40,790 --> 00:04:46,850 as well as before legal and political authorities by networking with black people throughout the Atlantic 49 00:04:46,850 --> 00:04:54,200 world to solve the problem of Bermuda segregation using both formal and informal political processes. 50 00:04:54,200 --> 00:05:00,890 Bermuda struggle to eradicate segregation was truly be understood as a diasporic civil rights struggle. 51 00:05:00,890 --> 00:05:04,430 In other words, a case study in black internationalism, 52 00:05:04,430 --> 00:05:11,060 and I'm so thankful to follow Dr. Swann because he's threaded that outline already and some of the activities of Dr. Roosevelt, 53 00:05:11,060 --> 00:05:13,250 Ron Paul, who camera could figure. 54 00:05:13,250 --> 00:05:19,430 You see, for example, as it relates to desegregation in Bermuda, we can see these examples of of diasporic civil rights. 55 00:05:19,430 --> 00:05:27,740 For example, the island's very first successful theatre protests was organised by Miscount Hugh and Mrs. Jordan Heal 56 00:05:27,740 --> 00:05:33,470 following the Bermudian of theatres club's refusal to sell them tickets on account of their race. 57 00:05:33,470 --> 00:05:40,220 You see, Georgina's husband was Miss Mr. Hilton Jahil, a travel agent and owner of Bermuda Vacations Travel Service. 58 00:05:40,220 --> 00:05:47,660 He suggested that they should pick a divider and after months of activism, the theatre dropped its colour bar in spring 1951. 59 00:05:47,660 --> 00:05:52,280 Another example may include in 1954, the Bermuda Jockey Club. 60 00:05:52,280 --> 00:06:00,620 The horse racing track there desegregated its grandstands after a sustained effort of political pressure by Russell Pyramid, 61 00:06:00,620 --> 00:06:08,660 Ed Richards and Hilton Hill. The campaign to desegregate the Jockey Club was sparked by an incident during the summer of 1951, 62 00:06:08,660 --> 00:06:13,520 when four African-American tourists were denied entry to the grandstands. 63 00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:16,430 And those politicians who I mentioned, Russell Pyramid, 64 00:06:16,430 --> 00:06:21,200 we know that he was involved with the guesthouse industry through what being earned of what you heard Ali gastos? 65 00:06:21,200 --> 00:06:24,260 Yeah. Run by his wife, Doris Ed Richards. 66 00:06:24,260 --> 00:06:31,700 I know he gets more shine for being government leader, but he was a board member and also the president of the Imperial Hotel. 67 00:06:31,700 --> 00:06:38,270 Also Hilton Jahil, as we've already mentioned, very famous travel agent who had eventually expanded his business and moved to the 68 00:06:38,270 --> 00:06:44,060 United States and ended up handling travel for the ACP and even the nation of Islam. 69 00:06:44,060 --> 00:06:54,770 Malcolm in the brothers was travelling by Hilton. You were mutants everywhere. 70 00:06:54,770 --> 00:06:58,730 However, these observations are more than mere historical observations, 71 00:06:58,730 --> 00:07:04,790 rather they form the context of possibility that inform the actual theatre boycott you see. 72 00:07:04,790 --> 00:07:09,170 In other words, the progressive group would not have even bothered to organise without some 73 00:07:09,170 --> 00:07:15,470 knowledge and belief that changing the racial status quo was even possible. 74 00:07:15,470 --> 00:07:22,910 So while the years preceding the boycott, sure, the saliency of diasporic civil rights alongside incremental victories and mind you, 75 00:07:22,910 --> 00:07:28,640 that's incremental, not total incremental victories over segregation in very specific areas. 76 00:07:28,640 --> 00:07:33,740 The period that followed 1959 demonstrated the incompleteness of the boycotts. 77 00:07:33,740 --> 00:07:38,060 Successes with respect to its success is the progressive group organised the 78 00:07:38,060 --> 00:07:42,920 boycott of all segregated movie theatres on the island that began on June 15, 79 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:50,270 1959, and by June 30th, they had compelled all six movie houses to desegregate these movie. 80 00:07:50,270 --> 00:07:55,820 The houses were earned by Bermuda general theatres, and they ended up desegregating completely, 81 00:07:55,820 --> 00:08:00,820 even though they denied that it was the pressure of the boycott. In addition, 82 00:08:00,820 --> 00:08:04,390 these street protests and motorcades associated with the boycott frightened 83 00:08:04,390 --> 00:08:09,220 the white elite management of seven hotels into relaxing their racial rules, 84 00:08:09,220 --> 00:08:12,220 and I say, relax and Selma, come back today. 85 00:08:12,220 --> 00:08:20,980 The hotels included the Belmont, the Bermuda, Anna Elbow Beach, Embery Princess St. George's Hotel, as well as Castle Harbour. 86 00:08:20,980 --> 00:08:26,320 These hotels began allowing blacks to enter for dinner, drinks, dance and entertainment. 87 00:08:26,320 --> 00:08:33,460 However, their accommodations still remained segregated. 88 00:08:33,460 --> 00:08:39,520 This came back to demonstrate a very critical element of the incompleteness of this victory, 89 00:08:39,520 --> 00:08:45,520 because you see on September 8th, 1960, a Pan American jet left Bermuda en route to New York City. 90 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:52,180 Unfortunately, the plane experienced engine trouble and was forced to return back to the island because it was late at night. 91 00:08:52,180 --> 00:08:59,050 Pan A.M. gave all 87 delayed passengers a free night at Castle Harbour Hotel since it was located near the airport, 92 00:08:59,050 --> 00:09:07,360 and they would not have to go home and return back early in the morning. I wish I realised you did the naughtiest man that don't Carnegies my time. 93 00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:15,670 I think everybody supports that man in your line to get you not in Munich or snowed here, just kick your claim and add in an acre of land. 94 00:09:15,670 --> 00:09:18,940 Where was I anyway? Yeah, so the so it again delayed there in Bermuda. 95 00:09:18,940 --> 00:09:25,030 Pan Am gives all eighty seven passengers a voucher to go and stay at Castle Harbour Hotel. 96 00:09:25,030 --> 00:09:28,090 However, many passengers were dropped off at the Castle Harbour. 97 00:09:28,090 --> 00:09:34,150 There were 15 Black members of the group and they were refused accommodations because of their race. 98 00:09:34,150 --> 00:09:39,820 Even though the booking had been made by Pan Am and was already paid for, 99 00:09:39,820 --> 00:09:46,030 this situation sent a powerful message because black tourists were denied alongside black Bermudian 100 00:09:46,030 --> 00:09:51,940 because a group of black passengers included a handful of university students returning to school, 101 00:09:51,940 --> 00:09:55,990 as well as an African-American Air Force sergeant as well as his wife. 102 00:09:55,990 --> 00:10:03,010 The black passengers protested loudly in the lobby, but they were forced to wait while the white passengers were taken to their rooms. 103 00:10:03,010 --> 00:10:07,840 However, management would not yield. However, management said, You know something is OK, 104 00:10:07,840 --> 00:10:12,040 though you could use a portion of your room credit to go get some drinks and 105 00:10:12,040 --> 00:10:20,940 something to eat in the dining room because it's been recently desegregated. I don't need that right now. 106 00:10:20,940 --> 00:10:29,340 Please stay. However, it was more folks in that group who are thinking the same way two university students, Hugh Whitstable. 107 00:10:29,340 --> 00:10:32,460 He was studying at Howard University and Vincent Bridgewater. 108 00:10:32,460 --> 00:10:37,830 He was a pre-med student at Lincoln University, summarise the entire group's feelings and he told the manager, 109 00:10:37,830 --> 00:10:43,260 he said, Look, if we're not good enough to sleep here, you can profit by us eating here. 110 00:10:43,260 --> 00:10:49,020 Soon afterwards, black passengers vacated the hotel lobby in disgust and several bellhops, 111 00:10:49,020 --> 00:10:57,960 and other black staff members staged an impromptu walkout in solidarity. 112 00:10:57,960 --> 00:11:00,720 I see, I see. What do we see? 113 00:11:00,720 --> 00:11:08,730 We see the battle against segregation, which followed the theatre boycott containing instances of diasporic civil rights action. 114 00:11:08,730 --> 00:11:13,230 Therefore, the periods before as well as see periods after the theatre boycott were united 115 00:11:13,230 --> 00:11:18,300 by beams of black protest in the face of white resistance to desegregation, 116 00:11:18,300 --> 00:11:27,300 as well as white resistance to complete racial and political equality, given the continuity of the struggle found on both sides of 1959. 117 00:11:27,300 --> 00:11:33,000 How can we realign our perspectives to meet those who fought these historical racial battles? 118 00:11:33,000 --> 00:11:38,430 I believe the parting words of the progressive group offer us some direction. 119 00:11:38,430 --> 00:11:45,060 On July 1st, they published a letter to the editor that was published in the Bermuda Recorder, 120 00:11:45,060 --> 00:11:51,810 a victory letter, so to speak after the conclusion and the successful desegregation of the six theatres. 121 00:11:51,810 --> 00:11:59,550 In part, it reads, I just kept a low quote from it. It says We appreciate that you hotels, restaurants and theatres are desegregated. 122 00:11:59,550 --> 00:12:07,710 The people of Bermuda are to be thanked. Congratulated for the striking display of solidarity shown since June 15th, 123 00:12:07,710 --> 00:12:11,640 the day should become for Bermuda is what Emancipation Day is to the world. 124 00:12:11,640 --> 00:12:20,310 Remember, there are still goals to be achieved. Therefore, in the future, we will call upon Bermuda for a similar display of solidarity. 125 00:12:20,310 --> 00:12:23,820 If it is deemed necessary, you see two progressive groups. 126 00:12:23,820 --> 00:12:29,880 Parting statement serves as a succinct, intellectual summary of the politics of race in the 1950s, 127 00:12:29,880 --> 00:12:35,460 as well as a clarion call for continued anti-racist activism today. 128 00:12:35,460 --> 00:12:40,620 They acknowledge the continuing presence of racism by stating that there would be goals to be achieved. 129 00:12:40,620 --> 00:12:47,580 They acknowledge the success of their strategies by praising the people's solidarity and asked them to stand ready. 130 00:12:47,580 --> 00:12:54,630 OK, my time is done and ask them to stand ready for the next opportunity to deploy these same techniques to desegregate. 131 00:12:54,630 --> 00:13:00,090 In other words, they were telling us we need to stand ready because the struggle continues. 132 00:13:00,090 --> 00:13:06,150 He said, because in the future, in the future, in the future, we will call. 133 00:13:06,150 --> 00:13:14,279 Thank you.