Today in History : April 20

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NASSAU, BAHAMAS – On this day in Bahamian History in 1954 – Bahamian evangelist, author and speaker Myles Munroe, was born in Nassau.

Munroe was the Founder and Pastor of Bahamas Faith Ministries International and was an international motivational speaker and leadership consultant.

He died in a plane crash in Freeport, Grand Bahama on November 9th 2014, at the age of 60.

Then in 1960 – Commonwealth Bank opened in Nassau.

The historical society notes its original name was Commonwealth Industrial Bank and it was a subsidiary of Canadian Company Laurentide financial Corporation Limited.

The office was located at the back of a local furniture store and opened its doors with three employees.

Then six years later in 1966 – Thomas Alvin Thompson died at the age of 77.

Thompson was a teacher, principal, school administrator and civil servant.
T. A. Thompson high school in Nassau is named after him.

April 20th 1972 – Michael Eldon was elected as the 11th Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Nassau and The Bahamas, including the Turks and Caicos Islands.

He was the first Bahamian to be elected head of the diocese. Eldon died on February 7th, 2011. He was 79.

Then the CARIFTA Games to an end on this day in 1976.

It was the first time The Bahamas hosted the games, which were held at the Thomas A. Robinson Stadium.

Then tragic news on this day in 2008 when a boat carrying 24 migrants capsized in Bahamian waters. Twenty Haitians citizens and one Honduran citizen died after the boat sank.

Three survivors – two Haitians and one Honduran – were found and rescued by Bahamian authorities.

And finally in 2012 – the Corenlius A. Smith building was officially opened on Grand Bahama.

Former Prime Minister Hubert Ingraham saying at the time that since his early days in politics, he recognized government’s physical presence on the island was not strong enough.