Bermuda African Diaspora Heritage Trail

African Diaspora Heritage Trail

Our Bermuda heritage mingles African, Caribbean, Native American, and British roots. In 1835, the American ship Enterprise, carrying 78 slaves from Virginia to South Carolina, was blown off course during a storm. It docked in Bermuda for provisions to make its journey back to the mainland. However, since Bermuda freed its slaves nearly 30 years before the creation of the U.S. Emancipation Proclamation, local customs officials refused to let the ship set sail again until the Governor ruled on the disposition of the slaves aboard. The incident ended with a choice for the slaves: stay in Bermuda and be free, or continue the journey to slavery in the States. All but one family of six became Bermudian citizens—and today, many of us trace our heritage to those 72 freedom-loving souls.

In 1834, Bermuda’s Black population became free citizens. We commemorate the event each summer with a gala celebration featuring open-air concerts, exotic foods, Gombey dancing, and more during the Cup Match cricket tournament—a two-day match between our East and West End clubs. It’s more than a game—it’s one of the Island’s most eagerly anticipated parties with the entire island on holiday for the two days.

Highlighting many fascinating points of interest, this self-guided tour crisscrosses the Island—bringing Bermuda’s important role in Black history to life.

East End ~ St. George's

St. Peter’s Church & Slave Graveyard
Meandering through the St. Peter’s Church graveyard offers a fascinating glimpse of life and death in the 16th through 18th centuries. Take a look for yourself at this nod to our history. Fearing rebellion, slave owners kept black and white burial grounds segregated. Epitaphs written upon St. Peter's tombstones reveal ancient occupations, cherished family members, abbreviated histories and a chronicle of illnesses.
Located on Duke of York Street, Town of St. George

St. George’s Post office
“John Stephenson, Methodist missionary, was imprisoned in this cell six months and fined fifty pounds for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ to African Blacks and captive Negroes — St. George’s, Bermuda, June, 1801.”
So reads an inscription written upon the wooden floor of what is now St. George’s Post Office. The preacher was imprisoned just two months after his arrival on our island for boldly preaching to the black community. He left Bermuda in 1802 — ill, disillusioned and unfit for the missionary duty he once loved.
Located on Water Street, Town of St. George

St. George’s Historical Museum
A visit to the St. George’s Historical Society Museum will reward you with further evidence of island history. Among other treasures, this 18th century Bermuda home contains:
*The barred cell windows of imprisoned missionary John Stephenson
*A display of an 18th-century Bermuda kitchen, complete with utensils from the period
*A Native American axe heads left here by early Native American settlers
Located on Duke of Kent Street, Town of St. George. Tel: +1 441 297 0423, Call for hours of operation.

The Bermuda Heritage Museum
Bermuda’s dynamic cultural and social history is highlighted at the Bermudian Heritage Museum in the Town of St. George. The museum illuminates island sports, social history, politics, professional and personal accomplishments — even a bit of scandal. The Enterprise incident, our beloved Cup Match, the historic fate of slave Sally Bassett and a storehouse of unique memorabilia are featured.
Located at the junction of Water and York Streets, Samaritan's Lodge Building. Tel: +1 441 297 4126

Tucker House Museum
When Confederate soldiers began to draft Free Blacks to work on Charleston’s fortifications, Joseph Hayne Rainey and his wife Susan escaped to Bermuda aboard a blockade runner. The Raineys quickly embraced Bermudian life, Joseph becoming a member of Alexandra Lodge 1026 of the Grand Order of Odd Fellows, and later the first Black man in the House of Representatives. At Tucker House, you will find the Rainey memorial room, where you can view copies of speeches he made during his term in the House of Representatives, and other memorabilia.
Located on Water Street, Town of St. George. Tel: +1 441 297 054. Hours: 10am–4pm Monday through Saturday, closed New Year’s Day, Good Friday, Christmas Day and Boxing Day. Admission: BM$5 (adults), BM$2 (children ages 6–18)

Central part of the Island ~ Crow Lane

Crow Lane marks the spot where the slave Sally Bassett was burned at the stake in 1730. Sally, an old black woman, was convicted of attempting to poison her master and sentenced to death by being burned at the stake. She was found guilty, sentenced to death 17 June 1730, to be carried out 21 June 1730. Origin of the present-day description of a very hot day as a "regular Sarey or Sally Bassett day".

1730 Sarah Bassett, an elderly mulatto slave in Sandy's Parish hired by the Forster Family, was brought up on charges of poisoning after her master and mistress fell sick. By 1729 she was considered to be of old age and not much value on the auction block. Sally decided it was time to put her knowledge of poisons to sue and in her own way strike out for the way she had been treated over the many years she had endured slavery. On December 18, 1729, she instructed her granddaughter Beck in the use of poisons. At the time Beck was owned by Thomas and Sarah Foster who resided in Somerset Parish. Beck was instructed to poison her owners as well as their slave girl Nancy. Beck testified that Sarah had given her ratsbane and manchineel root with which to poison mariner Thomas Forster, his wife and Nancy one of the Forster slaves. Sarah was later arrested on June 2nd, 1730 when a bill of indictment was read and although Sarah declared her innocence she was ordered to stand trial. Upon being found guilty she was valued at 1 pound, four shillings and six pence. She was then sentenced to be burned at the stake.

Saturday, June 6th, 1730 was an extremely hot day as Sarah made her way to the foot of Crow Lane at the eastern end of Hamilton Harbour. There the stake was erected. Hundreds of people lined up to witness this horrible spectacle. It has been said that Sarah declared "No use you hurrying folks, there'll be no 'til I get there!" Sometime later when Sarah's ashes were to be removed a purple-blue Iris was seen to be growing in their midst. Today this flower is known as "The Bermudiana". Before her death Sarah had declared that God would show that she was guiltless and today the flower blooms about Bermuda.

Sarah's previous master, blacksmith Francis Dickinson of Pembroke had died in 1727. She was a mulatto and had raised her family which included many grandchildren. She had been presented at an assize in Jan 1713 on suspicion of killing cattle, horses, and sheep belonging to John Jennings and Stephen Painter of Southampton on Christmas 1712. and had been whipped across the parish. (reference: Jarvis, M. 1999. Searfaring Slaves & Maritime Culture in Bermuda, 1680-1783. Univ of VA/Omohundro Institute.)

West End ~ Cobb's Hill to Dockyard

Cobb’s Hill Wesleyan Methodist Church was the first organised church for Free Blacks and slaves on our island. Slaves and Free Blacks — who carried quarried stone upon their backs from the surrounding hills — laboured on holidays and in the evenings by candlelight to erect this Warwick Parish church, which was finally dedicated in 1827, seven years before Emancipation in Bermuda. Tel: +1 441 236 8586

Commissioner’s House at Bermuda Maritime Museum
Visit the magnificently restored Commissioner’s House, which sits upon a hill overlooking the ocean on the grounds of the Bermuda Maritime Museum at the Royal Naval Dockyard, and you'll find an impressive exhibit highlighting both the transatlantic slave trade and slavery in Bermuda.
Here, words, images and original artefacts recovered from shipwrecks found in local waters such as iron slave restraints, glass trade beads and cowry shells, bring the chilling and unforgettable story of transatlantic slavery to life. Located in The Keep, Royal Naval Dockyard. Tel: +1 441 234 1418; Web: www.bmm.bm; Hours: 10am–4pm daily, except Christmas Day.
Admission: BM$10 (adults), BM$8 (seniors), BM$5 (children ages 5–15)

Royal Naval Dockyard
During the War of 1812, “American Refugee Negroes” (Free Blacks and Bermudian slaves), hired as labourers, worked side by side to build the most important British naval base in the Atlantic. Still others enrolled as troops to guard the Dockyard. Today, the Royal Naval Dockyard has been converted into a lovely village of shops, art galleries and eateries, but is still steeped in Bermudian history. Located in the Royal Naval Dockyard.