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National Heroes

Since 2008, an annual celebration of Bermuda’s National Heroes has replaced the traditional Queen’s Birthday holiday in June. This gallery features not only those who have been officially honoured by the Bermuda Government but others we think are worthy of future nominations.

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Dame Lois Browne-Evans June 1, 1927-May 28, 2007  Lawyer, Opposition Leader, Attorney GeneralEndFragment

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The first Bermudian honoured as a National Hero in 2008, Dame Lois Browne-Evans stood at the forefront of Bermuda politics for 40 years, breaking barriers and fighting to eliminate racial discrimination. She was Bermuda’s first black female Parliamentarian first female lawyer, first female Attorney General and the first female Opposition Leader not only in Bermuda but the British Commonwealth.  EndFragment

Dr. Edgar Fitzgerald GordonMarch 20,1895 - April 20, 1955  Physician, parliamentarian and labour leaderEndFragment

A Trinidad-born physician who came to Bermuda in 1924, Dr. E.F. Gordon laid the groundwork for much of the Island’s future political and social change. Twice elected as a Member of the Colonial Parliament, Gordon - who later took the African name “Mazumbo” - is regarded as the father of Bermuda’s Labour movement. A  founding member and first president of the Bermuda Workers Association, he was honoured as a National Hero in 2011. EndFragment

Born Roosevelt Browne, this grassroots leader founded the Committee for Universal Suffrage and mobilised public support for the movement to end the property vote, which helped break down resistance to the bill in Parliament. An ecological engineer by profession, he served as a consultant to the Commonwealth Secretariat and the United Nations. He was honoured as a National Hero in 2011. EndFragmentEndFragment

Dr. Pauulu KamarakafegoCivil rights leader, political activist, academicEndFragment

Sir Henry Tucker was one of the island’s most important leaders of the 20th century.  A founder of the United Bermuda Party, he became Bermuda’s first government leader on May 22, 1968 after the first election held under a new Constitution and a two-party system. As general manager of the Bank of Bermuda, he helped lay the foundation for Bermuda’s international business sector. He was honoured as  National Hero in 2011. EndFragmentEndFragment

Sir Henry James “Jack” TuckerMarch 14,1903 - January 9, 1986 Banker, founder of United Bermuda Party, Government LeaderEndFragment

Born into slavery in Devonshire, Mary Prince was the first woman to publish an account of her life as slave. The History of Mary Prince, A West Indian Slave, Written by Herself, was published in Britain by the Anti-Slavery Society in 1831. It is a rare glimpse into the life of a female slave and is the only first-hand account that exists of the day-to-day life of a Bermudian slave. She was named a National Hero in 2012. EndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragment

Mary Princec.1788-1833 Slave and authorEndFragment

One of Bermuda’s first female physicians, Dr. Barbara Ball aligned herself with the labour movement and black Bermudians in the 1960s—a move that cost her personally and professionally. EndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragment

Dr. Barbara Ball1924-2011 Physician, trade unionist, civil rights activistEndFragment

Dr. Eustace Cann1904-1963Physician, politician EndFragment

Photo courtesy Dr. John Cann

A progressive, compassionate and courageous politician of the 1940s, 50s and early 60s—and a revered physician—he backed women’s suffrage, the fledgling labour movement and full voting rights for all Bermudians, regardless of whether they owned property or not. EndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragment

Photo: National Museum of Bermuda

Dr. Edward Harris achieved international prominence in the field of archaeology as the inventor of the Harris Matrix, and as executive director of the National Museum of Bermuda, he has been single-minded in his mission to preserve Bermuda’s heritage and culture.  EndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragment

Dr. Edward HarrisArchaeologist, historian and authorEndFragment

Sir John Henry Lefroy1817-1890 Governor of Bermuda EndFragment

During his time as Governor of Bermuda from 1871-1877, Sir John Lefroy was frustrated in his attempts to expand educational opportunities for blacks and poor white Bermudians, but in salvaging early records, he helped to preserve the Island’s history for posterity. EndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragment

She led the 30-year battle to give women the vote and also co-founded the district nursing service, which gave numerous Bermudians, pregnant women, newborns and the elderly in particular, access to affordable health care. EndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragment

Photo courtesy Kathy Bromby

Gladys Misick Morrell1888-1969Suffragette leader, vestrywoman, founder of Bermuda Welfare SocietyEndFragmentEndFragment

Monsignor Filipe de Paiva Macedo1914-1992Catholic priest, Portuguese vice-consul, human rights activist EndFragment

The much-loved Catholic priest from Portugal tended to the spiritual and temporal needs of communicants at St. Theresa’s Cathedral between 1958 and 1981 and singlehandedly fought for the abolition of a law that prevented wives and children of Açorean workers from joining them in Bermuda. EndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragment

Photo courtesy of Elsie MartinEndFragment    

As co-founder and long-time publisher of the Bermuda Recorder newspaper, he gave black Bermudians a platform to express their frustrations, grievances, aspirations and accomplishments during the years of segregation. Place and his wife Julia ran the Recorder, founded in 1925, for 47 years.  EndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragment

Photo: The Bermudian EndFragment

Alfred Brownlow Place1892-1986Newspaper publisher EndFragment

Sir William Reid1791-1958Governor of Bermuda EndFragment

Sir William Reid served as Governor from 1839-1846 and his development of agriculture as a viable industry proved crucial to Bermuda’s economic wellbeing following the decline of shipbuilding in the 19th century — and brought the Island fame for its crop exports, including the Bermuda onion.  EndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragment

Admiral Sir George Somers1554-1610Captain of the Sea Venture, founder of Bermuda EndFragment

En route to the Jamestown colony in Virginia at head of a seven-boat fleet, the experienced British mariner drew on all available resources to save the Sea Venture passengers from a watery grave in 1609 when it was sunk during a fierce storm off Bermuda. It was an heroic feat that enabled the English to gain a foothold in the Americas and also brought the first settlers to Bermuda. EndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragment

As an abolitionist and Anglican archdeacon, the future bishop of Newfoundland led the movement to build schools across Bermuda for black and poor white children following slavery’s emancipation. EndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragmentEndFragment

Bishop Aubrey George Spencer1843-1855Anglican archdeacon, abolitionist EndFragment

Photo: The Bermuda Sun EndFragment

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