In 1835 a group of 172 slaves from America chose to gain their freedom on the shore of Barr’s Bay Park. In 2010 a sculpture was unveiled to commemorate the event. As a plaque at the base of the statue explains:
THE BERMUDA DIASPORA HERITAGE TRAIL{Globe With Bermuda Greatly Enlarged}BERMUDAOFFICIALLY DESIGNATED A UNESCOSLAVE ROUTE PROJECTEnterprise Landing Site Barr’s Bay ParkIn 1856 the American brig Enterprise was on its way from Alexandria,Virginia to Charleston, South Carolina and was driven off courseby a violent storm and had to put into Bermuda for provisionsOn board were 78 slaves due to be sold once the vesselreached its destination.But slavery was now illegal in Bermuda and the ship in violation ofisland laws. the slaves were brought ashore at Barr’s Bay Park which islocated in the City of Hamilton and taken before the Chief Magistratewhere they were given the opportunity to stay in Bermudaand become free or continue with the ship and be sold.all but one mother and her five children choseto remain on the island.
Another plaque containing the coat-of-arms of the City of Hamilton adds:
“We Arrive”Less that one year after Bermuda’s slaves won emancipation, in early1835, the American Brigantine Enterprise having set sail from Virginiawas blown off course by a savage inter storm and forced to seekrefuge in this harbour. When safely moored, the brig was discovered tohold a ‘human cargo’ of 78 slaves who, as a result of a Habeas Corpusobtained by the islands’ Black Friendly Societies, were offered theirfreedom by the Bermuda Courts on February 18th 1835.Local artist Chesley Trott was commissioned by The Corporationof Hamilton to create this sculpture, unveiled on the 175th Anniversaryof the historic day, to commemorate not only the freed 172 men, womenand children who accepted Bermuda as their home, but a communitywho offered this rare gift.
