The Tribune

By JEFFARAH GIBSON Tribune Features Writer THE Women's Suffrage Movement was highlighted during a four-day symposium held at the College of the Bahamas last week. As this year marks the 50th anniversary of the Women's Suffrage Movement, the College of the Bahamas teamed up with the Bureau of Women's affairs commemorating the "Past, Reflecting on the Present, Envisioning the Future: 1962 and Beyond". The symposium commenced on March 6 with high school students making up most of the audience on the opening day. During this session, personal stories about the Women's Suffrage was shared by close relatives of some of the leading ladies of the movement. Wallace Carey, daughter of Eugenia Lockhart, Andrew Maynard, son of Georgiana Symonette, Alice Musgrove-Rolle, daughter of Mary Ingraham, Shirley Cooper, sister of Dame Doris Johnson, and Juliette Barnwell, daughter of Mable Walker, all shared their stories of being witnesses to the movement. "The students wanted to hear personal stories instead of hearing an intellectual presentation on the Suffrage movement. These people were there during the time of the Women's Suffrage. The students got a real sense of history because these people were witnesses and they brought their real life stories to the podium," said Dr Christopher Curry, chair of the Women's Suffrage Movement committee. The personal stories were the highlight of this segment. There was also a dramatisation of the Suffrage Movement, directed by noted playwright Marion Bethel. "That was another highlight of the session. The dramatisation featured College of the Bahamas Students and they reenacted Dame Dr Doris Johnson January 19, 1959 speech and the events surrounding. We intended for this session to be very visually oriented. The students session was broadcast live on the radio, so the public was able to be part of that segment," Dr Curry told Tribune Woman. On the following day of the symposium there were presentations on Domestic Violence, Gender Inequality, Gender and National Identity, and Gender and Masculinity in the Bahamas. On Thursday there were presentations on Law, Gender and Institutional Structures, Envisioning the Future: A Youth Perspective on Gender, and Gender Discourse. The final day of the symposium international and regional speakers got the opportunity to present various topics. Culinary Arts major, Natario Beneby told Tribune Woman attending the symposium was a great learning experience. "More events like this one need to be held. Many Bahamians are not aware of historical events like this one. I applaud the College of the Bahamas for presenting this event." "I learned a whole lot of things, I did not know about the Women's Suffrage Movement. I am more aware that there are a whole lot of issues going on in terms of gender inequality in our country, said Shandra Ferguson who was in attendance at the Wednesday night session. Dr Curry told Tribune Woman the Women's Suffrage Symposium sought to instill a greater awareness of a significant event like this one. "We just wanted to raise awareness and consciousness of the significance of an event like this to our history. We also felt like other historical events like Majority Rule and the race overshadowed the Women's Suffrage Movement. We tried to bring back the expansive vision these women had. We also wanted to raise awareness of the past and get people to think critically about the future," he said.