“The words ‘I love you’
make the most beautiful
music recognized by
human ears.”
Sidney Poitier

Let’s take a look back to 52 years ago today. Just a minute before midnight, on Monday, July 9, 1973, the Union Jack was lowered for the last time as the official flag of the Bahamas. When the clock struck midnight, a crowd of approximately 50,000 people watched the black, turquoise, and gold flag of the Bahamas being raised over the newly-independent nation.

The colors of the Bahamian flag symbolize the country’s waters (turquoise), the bright Bahamian sun (gold), and the strength and vigor of the Bahamian people (black). 

I first set foot in the Bahamas in August 1974. The country had just celebrated their first anniversary as a nation. Bahamian pride was evident across the islands. As a new expatriate teacher, one of about a dozen teaching at Saint Augustine’s College that year, I was warmly greeted by Sir Milo Butler, the Governor General of the Bahamas, during the new teacher orientation on campus. 

I had the opportunity to visit Nassau this past March. Much has changed in the fifty years since I taught at SAC, yet much has remained the same. I guess it’s no surprise that in a country with an economy based on tourism, most of the significant improvements have been made to accommodate visitors to the island. A short drive “over the hill,” to the areas where most Bahamians live and work, reveals neighborhoods which appear to be quite similar to what they were in 1975.

Celebrities with Bahamian roots include Sidney Poitier, whose nephew Cedrick was one of my students, Harry Belafonte, Shaunae Miller-Uibo, a SAC graduate who won consecutive Gold Medal in the 2016 and 2020 Olympics, and Buddy Hield, a shooting guard for the Golden State Warriors. Of course, there are many more, but these are just a few of the more recognizable names. 

Regular readers of this blog know that I like quotes. These two offer wisdom from Bahamian performers:

“I don’t think we are a species or a people that can exist without making mistakes somewhere along the line.”
~ Harry Belafonte

“You don’t have to become something you’re not to be better than you were.”
~ Sidney Poitier

Happy Bahamian Independence Day to my friends in the Bahamas. I’m looking forward to seeing you again in November.