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Three special Bermudian heroes

Rev Kingsley Tweed

This is Part Two of what we termed in our column last week as the “Spill Over” from the unprecedented efforts of all local media, and their praiseworthy focus on Black History Month of February 2013We promised that in Part Two to render a more in-depth concentration on the accomplishments of 95-year-old Bermudian Dr Earl Cameron, CBE, who over more than seven decades has criss-crossed and transcended social and cultural boundaries as a harbinger of peace and goodwill to become and actor of extraordinary renown.And also on the notable achievements of another Bermudian, octogenarian Rev Dr Kingsley Tweed as a labour leader and freedom-fighter in South Eastern Africa, decades before he settled in London, England.Rev Tweed was virtually exiled from his native land because of victimisation by the ruling political and economic power structure for his fearless and overt actions as a trade unionist and as chief articulator in the 1959 Theatre Boycott.He was regarded as a dangerous trouble maker. Glimpses were seen of Rev Tweed during the showing of Errol Williams’ movie, “When Voices Rise,” featured on television several times during Black History Month.Also, this is consistent with this historian’s efforts to broaden the tapestry that has narrowed by far too many to the grove of ‘civil rights and politics’ when thinking of national heroes as opposed to broader horizons, encompassing all aspects of life in which most significant contributions have been made by black Bermudian men and women alike.In that regard we focused last week on the Hon Mr Justice Earle Seaton, PhD and also on Rt Rev Dr Vinton Anderson, PhD. And we promised in Part Two this week to highlight Dr Olivia Tucker, who in 1925, (see photo and feature in column to the right above) made world history in her chosen field of PharmacyBishop Anderson was the first Bermudian elected to the Bench of Bishops of the far-flung AME denomination, when he was consecrated its 95th Bishop in 1972.He put Bermuda on ‘top of the world’ when in 1991, in Australia, when he was elected President of the World Council of Churches.Headquartered in Geneva, he served seven years in that office, presiding over 560 million members representing 322 denominations.Dr Seaton (who died in 1992) made a dramatic impact in the world of international and legal affairs at the United Nations Assembly in New York, having been appointed by the President of Tanzania, Dr Julius Nyerere, first as a judge in that country and later as Tanzania’s Legal Council to the UN.In 1972 Dr Seaton became a Puisne Judge in Bermuda, the first Black on the Bermuda High court.Since this historian recorded his hope of ‘broadening the tapestry’ regarding Black History Month, which incidentally is the shortest month in the year, two events have engaged our attention that merit placement in this Part Two “Spill Over” series.Firstly, there was the launch by the National Museum of two sets of books relating to slavery in Bermuda authored by the late Cyril Outerbridge Packwood.The other significant event pertains to the trailblazing legal and judicial career of Bermudian-born Judge Patricia Dangor who retired last week as a Circuit Judge in the London, England area.She was obliged to retire upon reaching the mandatory age for judges of 70.She was the daughter of Sir Edward Richards, the barrister-at-law who was the first leader of the former United Bermuda Party to carry the title of Premier of Bermuda, as opposed to that of Government Leader which marked his predecessor, Sir Henry Tucker.Judge Dangor is the older sister of Finance Minister in the ruling One Bermuda Alliance Government Bob Richards, and Bermuda College Lecturer and author Angela Barry.Judge Dangor was the first black person appointed to the high position of Circuit Judge 14 years ago.She was educated at Central School (now Victor Scott School, and Berkeley Institute, where her father once taught.Upon completing her studies in England, she was called to the Bermuda Bar in 1973, serving subsequently as a Stipendiary Magistrate, Coroner and Registrar of the Bermuda Supreme Court; and since 1995 has sat as an observer in the Bermuda Court of Appeal.Also she has served committees of the Bar Council of England and Wales including the Race Relations Committee and the Working Party on Entry to the Bar.Also Judge Dangor was a founding member of the Lawyers Against Apartheid, set up in opposition to the racist white minority in South Africa; and in 2011 she sat as an observer in the Constitutional Court of South Africa.