Race and Resistance: Understanding Bermuda Today

Between 2015 and 2019, Bermudian academics and activists presented their groundbreaking work on race and resistance in the Bermuda context across four events hosted by the University of Oxford.  In 2018, the Bermuda College and the Human Rights Commission of Bermuda, in partnership with The Oxford Centre for Global History and The Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities (TORCH) Race and Resistance Network, hosted a one-day symposium entitled 'Race and Resistance: Understanding Bermuda Today'. The symposium aimed to provide an accessible exploration of Bermuda's history of enslavement and racial segregation and the intersection of race, resistance and history in the contemporary Bermuda landscape. Three panels of academics and activists discussed the role of resistance in Bermuda's experiences, from founding and emancipation, to racial desegregation, to current issues and events. A final plenary session focused on ways to address the legacy of racism, understand patterns of resistance in Bermuda today and guide a path toward transformation. The Student Centre at the Bermuda College was also a lively 'Marketplace' for the day, showcasing local literature, artists and community groups. Special thanks to co-facilitators: Phyllis Curtis-Tweed, Sara Clifford and Alexa Virdi.