The Nassau GuardianSend an emailJune 30, 2023 356 2 minute readFacebookTwitterLinkedInShare via Email
Bahamian historian, archivist and author Gail Saunders has died.
She was 79.
In a statement, Prime Minister Philip Davis characterized Saunders as a national treasure.
“As we approach the 50th anniversary of our nation’s independence, losing such an integral part of our heritage is poignant,” he said.
“Gail Saunders was more than an accomplished historian, archivist, and author. She was a beacon of light, a repository of wisdom, and a resounding voice in preserving and narrating our national story. Her life’s work was dedicated to ensuring that our history was not just accurately recorded but made accessible and meaningful to us all.”
Davis added, Saunders’ “enduring legacy lies in her contributions to our understanding of our past. She established the Bahamian National Archives and served as its director for over three decades, ensuring the preservation of our national memory. Her writing illuminated the complexities of our history, from her acclaimed books “Historic Bahamas,” “Islanders in the Stream: A History of the Bahamian People,” to “Race and Class in the Colonial Bahamas, 1880–1960.”
The Ministry of Education and Technical and Vocational Training also issued a statement on Saunders’ passing, describing her as a pioneer of modern Bahamian culture and education.
“In addition to the scores of Bahamians she trained and inspired, her incredible legacy includes her efforts leading to the establishment of the Antiquities, Monuments and Museums Corporation and The National Art Gallery of The Bahamas and her service as a board member for both organizations,” the statement said.
“Dr. Saunders was the premier Bahamian historian. Through her research she brought many new aspects of Bahamian history to light. Her footprints can be seen all through the Bahamian history taught in our schools.”
Former Attorney General Sean McWeeney said the death of Dr. Saunders is a great loss for the nation.
“She was the pre-eminent Bahamian historian of her time, including the post-independence era to date,” he said.
“Her ground-breaking academic research and writings about slavery in The Bahamas form an especially important part of her legacy. This was a subject which had been glossed over, even trivialized in some cases, by historians who came before her.
“Dr. Saunders changed all that. She put slavery front and center, correctly treating it as the most defining experience in our development as a people.
“Of no less importance to her legacy was her pioneering work in putting the Department of Archives on a modern, professional footing, then guiding its growth for decades as executive director.”
Saunders has received a number of awards and honors over the last decades.
More recently, she was appointed as a Member of the Order of Distinction in the 2019 National Honors for her exemplary service to The Bahamas.