Black Tuesday is the name given to the day then Opposition Leader Lynden Pindling threw the Speaker’s mace out the window of the House of Assembly on April 27th, 1965. He was followed by Member of Parliament Milo Butler who did the same with the hour glass of the House.
President of the Senate, Sen. Hon. Lashell Adderley reflected on the day with remarks while presiding over debate in the Senate. She said, “indeed this was a seminal moment in time of Bahamian history. A tipping point, a turning point in the struggle for equality, liberation and the many freedoms that we now enjoy. The chair extends sincere gratitude to those brave, bold and courageous men and women who challenged the status quo and were determined to leave The Bahamas in a better place.”
Director of Antiquities, Monuments and Museums Corporation Dr. Christopher Curry also spoke about Black Tuesday. He said, “to have that kind of symbolic politics occur where you’re throwing a mace and hour glass out. It demystifies Bay Street, it demystifies the strangle hold the UBP thought that had on Bay Street and politics in The Bahamas in general. Because what you’re doing is you’re saying that democracy belongs or resides with the people. And so you’re saying basically that this oligarchic system that you had in place for centuries is now being dismantled because the power of the people.”
This year marks the 58th anniversary of Black Tuesday.
