Mary Prince Day

Mary Prince Day, observed on July 30, honors the life and legacy of Mary Prince, a Bermudian woman who was born into slavery and later became a powerful voice for abolition. Her autobiography, *The History of Mary Prince*, published in 1831, gave firsthand insight into the cruelty of enslavement and helped strengthen the movement to end slavery in the British Empire.

The observance invites people to remember Mary Prince’s courage, resilience, and contribution to the fight for freedom and equality. It is also an opportunity to learn more about Bermuda’s history, reflect on the lasting impact of slavery, and celebrate the importance of speaking out against injustice.

Mary Prince Day is observed on **July 30** in honor of Mary Prince, a Bermudian woman whose life and testimony became an important part of the history of slavery and abolition in the British Empire. Born into slavery in Bermuda in 1788, Prince experienced enslavement in Bermuda, the Turks and Caicos Islands, and Antigua. After traveling to England with the family that enslaved her, she sought protection and freedom there, although British law at the time did not provide a straightforward legal path for her to return to Bermuda as a free person.

Prince’s experiences were recorded in *The History of Mary Prince, a West Indian Slave, Related by Herself*, published in London in 1831. The book was produced with the assistance of Susanna Strickland, Thomas Pringle, and members of the Anti-Slavery Society, but its central force was Prince’s own account of violence, forced labor, family separation, and resistance. It was the first known narrative of an enslaved Black woman to be published in Britain and became an influential abolitionist text. Its publication helped challenge claims that enslaved people were content with their condition and gave British readers a firsthand account of slavery in the Caribbean.

The observance of Mary Prince Day developed as a public commemoration of Prince’s courage, historical importance, and connection to Bermuda. Observed on **July 30**, it places her story within the continuing effort to recognize the lives and contributions of people who had been excluded from official historical accounts. Over time, the day has also complemented broader commemorations of emancipation in Bermuda by focusing specifically on an individual whose testimony crossed the boundaries between personal experience, literary history, and political activism.

Culturally, Mary Prince Day represents remembrance, education, and resistance. It encourages attention to Bermuda’s links to the Atlantic slave system and to the enduring effects of enslavement, while also emphasizing Prince’s agency rather than portraying her solely as a victim. Readings, educational programs, public discussions, and other commemorative activities associated with the day help preserve her narrative and introduce new generations to the role that formerly enslaved people played in shaping the movement for abolition.