Mary Prince stands as one of the most powerful voices against slavery in the British Empire. Born into enslavement in Bermuda in the late 18th century, she became the first Black woman to publish an autobiography in Britain. Her detailed account of brutality, resilience, and longing for freedom shed light on the cruelty of colonial slavery and ignited public awareness across the nation.
Mary Prince Day honors her life, legacy, and impact on abolitionist movements. Celebrated in Bermuda, this observance serves as both a cultural recognition and a national reflection on freedom and justice. This article explores who Mary Prince was, the importance of her writing, and why her story continues to resonate today.
Mary Prince Day 2025
- Friday, August 1
Mary Prince Day in Bermuda is celebrated on the Friday before the first Monday in August, aligning with the second day of the traditional Cup Match holiday.
Who Was Mary Prince?
Mary Prince was born into slavery in Bermuda in 1788. She was the daughter of enslaved parents and spent her early years under brutal conditions. As a child, she was sold multiple times and subjected to harsh treatment, including physical abuse and grueling labor. Her life as an enslaved woman took her across British colonies from Bermuda to Turks and Caicos, and later to Antigua, each location adding to the hardship she endured.
In 1828, Mary traveled with her owners to London, where slavery was illegal. There, she found refuge with the Anti-Slavery Society and began working with prominent abolitionists. With their support, she dictated her life story to Susanna Strickland, resulting in the 1831 publication of The History of Mary Prince, a West Indian Slave. This was the first published narrative of a Black woman from the British colonies and became a powerful tool in the movement against slavery.
Her testimony offered firsthand evidence of the cruelty of enslavement in the Caribbean, and it directly influenced British public opinion and legislative debates, leading to the Slavery Abolition Act of 1833. Mary Prince’s courage, voice, and resilience positioned her not just as a survivor but as a symbol of resistance.
Today, she is honored as Bermuda’s first National Hero, and her story remains a cornerstone in the island’s historical and cultural identity.
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Historical Background of Mary Prince Day
Mary Prince Day became an official public holiday in Bermuda in 2020, after years of discussion about better representing the island’s Black history. The idea emerged from national conversations about the legacy of slavery and the absence of local historical figures in Bermuda’s public commemorations. Mary Prince, already named a National Hero in 2012, stood out as a symbol of truth, justice, and resistance.
The government of Bermuda announced the change on June 17, 2020. The traditional Cup Match holiday, previously spanning Emancipation Day and Somers Day, was modified. Somers Day, which honored English colonist Sir George Somers, was replaced by Mary Prince Day to better reflect the island’s heritage and struggles against enslavement.
This change marked a pivotal moment in the nation’s cultural evolution, aligning Bermuda’s civic calendar more closely with its people’s lived history.
How Mary Prince Day Is Celebrated
Mary Prince Day is observed through a combination of cultural, educational, and community-focused events across Bermuda. While it shares the festive atmosphere of Cup Match, it holds a more reflective tone centered on historical education and honoring resilience.
Cultural Events and Educational Activities:
Mary Prince Day is commemorated in Bermuda with a wide range of cultural events and educational activities that highlight her legacy and the broader struggle against slavery. Local organizations, cultural institutions, and schools collaborate to ensure the day is both reflective and celebratory.
Educational Programs:
Educational programs are a cornerstone of the observance. Schools often feature lessons on Mary Prince’s life, readings from her autobiography, and student-led discussions on slavery, freedom, and civil rights. These activities help embed her story into the national consciousness from a young age.
Community Storytelling Events:
Community storytelling events, public readings, and lectures are held across the island, allowing residents to connect personally with her narrative. In many cases, descendants of enslaved people and historians share reflections, making the day an inclusive moment of communal remembrance.
Museums and Cultural Centers:
Museums and cultural centers curate special exhibits focusing on Mary Prince and the abolitionist era, while local artists and performers use theater, music, and poetry to celebrate her spirit. These creative interpretations bring new life to her story and deepen public engagement.
Though Mary Prince Day is not somber, it balances commemoration with celebration by honoring a woman whose story changed history.
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Why is Mary Prince Day important to Bermuda?
Mary Prince Day serves as more than a public holiday; it is a day of reflection, identity, and acknowledgment. For Bermuda, honoring Mary Prince means confronting its colonial past and recognizing the contributions of those who resisted systemic oppression.
Her story is embedded in the island’s cultural consciousness as a voice that stood against silence. Through her autobiography, she became a witness to history, and her words helped reshape British policies toward slavery. Naming a day after her creates space for honoring those silenced by enslavement while also educating new generations about the importance of human dignity and resistance.
It’s a significant step in the ongoing journey toward national reconciliation and historical awareness in Bermuda.
Top Activities for Mary Prince Day
Here are several meaningful and culturally relevant Mary Prince Day activities that are commonly observed or can be organized to honor her legacy:
1. Public Readings of Her Autobiography
Host community or classroom readings of The History of Mary Prince. This helps participants engage directly with her voice and experience, promoting empathy and historical understanding.
2. Educational Workshops and School Lessons
Teachers can create interactive lessons or invite guest speakers to discuss Mary Prince’s life, the transatlantic slave trade, and Bermuda’s history. Students may write reflections, essays, or create art inspired by her story.
3. Panel Discussions and Lectures
Hold public forums featuring historians, authors, or activists to discuss topics like colonialism, gender and race, abolitionist movements, and the legacy of slavery in Bermuda and beyond.
4. Storytelling and Oral History Circles
Encourage community elders and local historians to share related stories or family histories that reflect Bermuda’s past and the long road to freedom, justice, and equality.
5. Museum Visits and Exhibits
Visit or organize museum exhibitions focusing on slavery, Mary Prince, and Black Bermudian history. Some may include original documents, portraits, and artifacts related to her life and times.
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Legacy and Global Recognition
Mary Prince’s legacy extends well beyond Bermuda. Her autobiography became a cornerstone of 19th-century abolitionist literature and remains widely studied in academic fields such as African diaspora studies, gender history, and post-colonial literature.
Internationally, Prince is recognized as a pioneering voice who disrupted the silence surrounding Caribbean slavery. Her words gave agency to the voiceless and humanized the enslaved experience for European readers. In 2020, the United Nations included her in their archives on “Notable Women in History,” acknowledging her global impact.
Universities and historians continue to cite her work in discussions of resistance, female narratives in slavery, and the power of personal testimony in social reform. Her name now appears in school textbooks, scholarly journals, and public lectures across the world.
Mary Prince Day vs Emancipation Day
Bermuda’s two-day Cup Match holiday includes Emancipation Day (Thursday) and Mary Prince Day (Friday). While both days reflect on the history of slavery, they serve distinct purposes.
| Aspect | Emancipation Day | Mary Prince Day |
| Date | Thursday before the first Monday in August | Friday following Emancipation Day |
| Focus | End of slavery in Bermuda (1834) | Life and legacy of Mary Prince |
| Symbolism | Freedom from slavery | Personal testimony and resistance |
| Historical Roots | Celebrated since the 1800s | Officially recognized in 2020 |
Together, these holidays offer a fuller understanding of Bermuda’s history—one focuses on a collective legal milestone, the other on an individual’s moral courage. Their combination ensures that both legal change and human experience are honored side by side.
Mary Prince Day dates 2026, 2027, 2028, 2029, 2030
Mary Prince Day is celebrated annually in Bermuda on the Friday before the first Monday in August. It forms part of the island’s two-day public holiday known as Cup Match, which includes Emancipation Day on Thursday and Mary Prince Day on Friday.
The dates change each year but always fall in late July or early August. Here is a quick reference table of recent and upcoming dates:
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Friday, July 31 | Mary Prince Day |
| 2027 | Friday, July 30 | Mary Prince Day |
| 2028 | Friday, August 4 | Mary Prince Day |
| 2029 | Friday, August 3 | Mary Prince Day |
| 2030 | Friday, August 2 | Mary Prince Day |
This strategic placement allows Bermudians to reflect on the legacy of slavery while enjoying a culturally significant national event centered around cricket, community, and history.
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Key Facts About Mary Prince Day
To provide a quick summary, here are the essential facts about Mary Prince Day:
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Holiday Name | Mary Prince Day |
| Observed In | Bermuda |
| First Celebrated | 2020 |
| Date | Friday before the first Monday in August |
| Linked With | Emancipation Day and Cup Match Holiday |
| Purpose | Honors Mary Prince and her role in abolition |
| Public Holiday Status | Yes |
| National Hero | Declared in 2012 |
| Primary Activities | Cultural events, educational programs, and community tributes |
This table helps contextualize Mary Prince Day in a clear, concise way for readers seeking fast yet comprehensive information.
Mary Prince Day in Education and Public Discourse
Mary Prince Day has created a broader platform for discussions about race, colonialism, and historical justice in Bermuda. Since its inception, the holiday has pushed schools and cultural institutions to integrate her narrative more deeply into their programming.
- Schools now incorporate her autobiography into their history and literature curricula.
- Libraries host special exhibitions and reading sessions during Cup Match week.
- Media outlets publish opinion pieces and interviews focusing on slavery’s legacy.
- Public forums are held to explore how Prince’s life connects to modern issues like systemic inequality.
The holiday serves as a reminder that national identity is shaped not only by milestones but also by those who dared to speak the truth under oppression.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
When is Mary Prince Day observed?
Mary Prince Day is observed on the Friday before the first Monday in August. It is the second day of the two-day Cup Match holiday in Bermuda.
Is it a public holiday in Bermuda?
Yes, Mary Prince Day is an official public holiday in Bermuda, established in 2020 to replace Somers Day as part of a national effort to recognize Black Bermudian history and legacy.
Why was Somers Day renamed?
Somers Day, named after English colonizer Sir George Somers, was renamed to honor Mary Prince, a native Bermudian and abolitionist icon. The change reflects a shift toward recognizing the contributions of historically oppressed individuals rather than colonial figures.
What is Mary Prince’s lasting impact on literature and activism?
Mary Prince’s autobiography remains a pioneering work in British literature, being the first account of its kind by a Black woman. It deeply influenced the abolitionist movement and continues to inspire activists, educators, and scholars in the fight for racial and social justice.
Conclusion
Mary Prince Day stands as a powerful reminder of Bermuda’s historical truths and the enduring relevance of personal testimony in the fight for justice. It honors a woman whose courage helped change the course of British colonial policy and shaped global conversations about slavery. Today, the day is not only a public holiday, it is a moment for national reflection, educational growth, and cultural unity.
By naming a day after Mary Prince, Bermuda acknowledges its past while empowering future generations to understand the value of resistance and resilience. Mary Prince Day continues to shape the island’s identity, inviting its people to remember, learn, and carry forward her legacy with clarity and purpose.
