More than 50 people came to City Hall yesterday to celebrate the 49th anniversary of the conclusion of the theatre boycott.

In addition to well-known Bermudians including former Premier Sir John Swan, Culture Minister Dale Butler, and David Wingate, seven people involved in the 1959 protest attended the event, which was organised by Imagine Bermuda 2009 and which featured a reading of a declaration emphasising the importance of the boycott.

The protest sparked by a group of black Bermudian movie-goers led to the end of segregation not only in theatres, but also schools, hotels and restaurants.

Mr. Butler, who with Dr. Eva Hudson produced a book about the boycott entitled 'A Storm in a Teacup', praised the declaration saying: "There is so much that has changed in the last 50 years. It has been a painful change for some. For them to step forward today and to see the changes they have made to the benefit of Bermuda, it's great."

After the declaration had been read to the crowd, it was passed around the room to be signed in recognition of the boycott.

Rev. Dr. Eskine Simmons, who participated in the boycott, said that when he was involved he did not think much about what the outcome would be 49 years later.

"When you're involved in something like that you don't project into the future, you project to the next meeting. You don't much think about the details," said Dr. Simmons.

"What many people don't realise is that the theatre boycott had a domino effect on the whole community. We were a very segregated society. It wasn't just the theatres."

The Corporation of Hamilton had commissioned a statue for the anniversary, but because of delays the statue will not be ready for display until around September.

Instead, the artistic centerpiece of the event was the painting "Theatre Boycott, Upstairs 1959" by Robert Barritt, who was unable to attend the event.