Today in History: May 2

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – On this day in Bahamian history, in 1902, Mabel Cordelia Holloway was born in Greenville, South Carolina.

The historical society notes Mabel Walker moved to The Bahamas after meeting her future husband Claudius Roland Walker whom the school C.R. Walker Senior Secondary School is named after.

She taught at The Bahamas Technical Institute and later at Woodcock Primary where she became headmistress.

She became an advocate for teachers in The Bahamas and was the founder of The Bahamas Union of Teachers (BUT).

Walker’s Hall, the headquarters of the union on Sir Milo Butler Highway and the school on New Providence are both named in her honor. Walker died in 1987 at the age of 85.

Then on this day in 2002, voters across 40 constituencies headed to polls with a record number of 132 candidates. Hubert Ingraham of the Free National Movement (FNM) who was prime minister at the time, announced his intention to step down from the post after the election. Tommy Turnquest was voted leader-elect the year prior. Perry Christie who was then leader of the Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), led has party to a landslide victory.

Five years later in 2007, voters headed to polls on this day, and this time Hubert Ingraham who was earlier elected leader of the FNM once again, replaced Tommy Turnquest, and ran against incumbent Perry Christie. The election result was very close with the FNM winning 23 seats and the PLP 18.
Hubert Ingraham was sworn in as prime minister two days later marking his third term in the office.

Then May 2nd, 2015 saw the the second International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) World Relays take place at the Thomas A. Robinson national stadium. The event was held from the 2nd – 3rd.

More than 40 countries participated in the two-day event that offered $1.4 million in cash prizes.

The majority of the top athletes in the world competed in the event, including Jamaica’s Usain Bolt and Veronica Campbell-Brown, Americans Tyson Gay and Allyson Felix and Chris ‘Fireman’ Brown and Shaunae Miller of The Bahamas.

Then in 2021, The Bahamas recorded a grim milestone as health officials reported the COVID-19 death toll had surpassed 200. The number stood at 209 at the time. Health officials said 6 cases previously under investigation had been confirmed.

This as fire officials battled a blaze off Balfour Avenue that destroyed homes and businesses on the same day.