National Heroes Day is a relatively new public holiday in Bermuda. It aims to recognise and honour those people that have made significant positive contributions to Bermudian society.
It was first celebrated in October 2008, replacing the June public holiday held to mark the Queen’s Official Birthday. However, the following year it was moved to the third Monday in June.
Bermuda’s inaugural National Hero was Dame Louis Browne-Evans; the first black female MP and the island’s first female Attorney General. Others subsequently honoured include Sir Henry Tucker (the first Premier of Bermuda and founder of the United Bermuda Party) and Edgar Fitzgerald Gordon (civil rights activist and trade union leader).
National Heroes’ Day will be celebrated in 2018 on Monday June 18. It will form part of Bermuda Heroes’ Weekend, a carnival running from Friday June 15 to Monday June 18. For details of events visit the Bermuda Heroes’ Weekend website (see below).