The Causes Of Racism In The Bahamas

Everyone has their own view on racism and how to define it. How I view it, racism is prejudice and discrimination directed at someone who is of different skin color or appearance. In short terms, racism is based on the superiority of one race over another. Racism in the Bahamas in the 1950’s and 1960’s was a very big problem. Examples of racism in the 1950’s and 1960’s were women weren 't allowed to vote, the Burma Road Riot, and the General Strike. During this time period, the Bahamas was under the rule of the UBP with the FNM and PLP being formed years later to oppose them. In the 1950’s and 1960’s, the UBP or United Bahamian Party was one of the main political parties at the time. Representing the whites, the

The Burma Road Riots mainly started overpayment for the men who worked at the airtime bases. Led by Randol Fawkes, the Burma Road Riots can be described as the first movement where people banded together against prejudice in the Bahamas. Over a course of two days of non-stop rioting, going up and down Bay Street, black Bahamians smashed windows and looted many stores. By the end of 1942, wide range social and political reforms had occurred, including new labour laws and trade unions. Over time more changes were made and in 1962, around 20,000 Bahamians alongside Randol Fawkes celebrated Labour

Randy, who lived in the Bahamas in the 1970s ' and still does to this day, gave his experiences. According to Mr. Randy, he himself personally never experienced racism, but segregation still did exist, although it wasn’t as bad in the Bahamas as it was in other parts of the world in this time period. In the 70s ', during elections, racism began to spread more, because if you were a certain skin color and didn’t vote for a specific party, they would dislike you. Racism got so bad at one point, that if you were of color, you couldn’t go outside after sundown. Although Caucasians in the 70s ' and 80s ' did not like blacks, they still wanted their help with everyday tasks. Mr. Randy claims that even people in the church who claimed to be Christian were still racist at times of the opposite race. Mr. Randy also noticed racism in his own family. His father even told him, "If you ever bring a girl any darker than him home, you 'd have to pack your bags." Racism still exists in the cays and family islands, and this is still evident to this day. Mr. Randy believes that the Bahamas have come a long way since the 70s ' and 80s ' and that eventually racism can be ended in the