Preserve Our Heritage

Research Paper

January 9, 2019

Rodrigo Guerreiro

The Theatre Boycott

The Bermuda Theatre Boycott was an event that took place in the early nineteen
hundreds, after emancipation. The boycott was a major milestone in the fight for equal rights
and the end of a long term of segregation across the island in all industries, including theaters,
resturauntes, hotels and so on, between white and black groups of people.

A group of black university graduates formed a group "The Progressive Group" is what
they called themselves. The group was comprised of the following person: Vera and Rudolph -
Commissiong, Izola and Gerald Harvey, William Francis, Florenz and Clifford Maxwell, Stanley
Ratteray, Marva Phillips, Esme and Lancelot Swan, Erskine Simmons, Clifford Wade, Eduord
and Rosalind Williams, Coolridge Williams, Eugene Woods and William Walwyn.

The Progressive Group was formed amongst these individuals with a set of regulations
they formed; regulations that the group had to follow to protect themselves, their families and
the black community. The group swore to keep the identity of each individual in the group a
secrete, to prevent/ avoid further discrimination. The group also agreed the protest must be
non-violent and civilized, protestors were asked to not intervene with traffic, therefor all
protestors were positioned on the sidewalk.

The boycott was advertised through, mailing list from local organizations and clubs,
newspaper articles, gas station and Union posters, in a result of the “Code of Silence” people
were asked to portray. The boycott officially began on June 15, 1959; and several different
methods were used to facilitate the boycott. Protestors used several unique placards, to
demonstrate towards the public there political point of view on segregation. Several speeches
were held at the boycott, picketing swell, also motorcades; all assisted in the peaceful
publication of the boycott and to the end of segregation.

The final results of the boycott led to the end of segregation not only in theaters
however hotels and restaurants soon followed by other tourist/ public business; including
churches. Later in the year of 1961 segregation a whole became a crime under Bermuda law.
And soon alter all Bermudian’s, black or white, were allowed to vote, with the only requirement
of a minimum age of twenty-five.

Overall the Theatre Boycott is not only a unique piece of history however the boycott
holds much of Bermuda’s Heritage, by demonstrating perseverance, modernization,
equalization and the change of social customs. Not only does the boycott hold a large portion
in Bermuda’s heritage however the boycott is preserved in many different forms, such has diary
entries/recordings of the specific events of the milestone, however family stories are preserved
through word of mouth; also tangible forms are preserved, such as placards, posters, recording
of the speeches and so on. The Bermuda Theatre Boycott, a milestone which altered Bermuda
for the better.