Burma Road Riot

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World War II had an adverse effect on the Bahamas one that the Government did not expect so the British and American government teamed up and started “The Project” and this would make New Providence a major air force and would employ over two thousand Bahamian workers. The air base was schedule to be built in Main Field and Satellite Field. This project was thought to bring prosperity to the Bahamas who were looking forward to high wages but instead the blacks were under paid and unfairly treated and the government made no attempt to fix it which caused a two day riot better known as The Burma Road Riot. On June 1, 1942, Adderley and Dr. C.R .Walker tried talking to the crowd but it was to no avail. The workers stated that they would not return to work, to make matters worse Sears and police officers arrived at the scene. Over two thousand of the rioter’s began marching downtown toward Bay Street with sticks and machetes singing patriotic songs such as “We’ll never let the old flag fall”, ‘Burma Road declare war on the conchie Joe, Do Nigger, don’t lick nobody, don’t lick nobody.” They were looking for someone in authority who would address the long term problem of the wages to obtain some satisfaction. So they gathered in the front of the Colonial secretary’s office to address Leslie Heape but instead of getting Leslie Heape they was addressed by the expatriate attorney general, Eric Hallinan. He told them to get a formal delegate to present complaint, but it wasn’t until he said that were going to bring American labors until they saw how good the Bahamian workers were, and to not spoil it. The crowd took it as a threat of losing their jobs and in that moment the crowd went up and down Bay Street wrecking everything stealing from stores, breaking windows by noon Baby Street was a disaster.Most of the crowd already left with the items they took, even

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