Black History Month - Heroes

Stanley Ratteray (’54) is featured in the Bermuda Sun’s list of heroes for Black History Month. Dr. Stanley Ratteray (1934-2003) was leader of the Progressive Group, which launched the successful Theatre Boycott in 1959, which ended segregation in movie theatres, restaurants and hotels.

As a UBP strategist and Cabinet Minister, he played a major role in political life during the 1960s and 1970s.

Dr. Ratteray graduated from Sandys Secondary School. At 15, he left the Island to attend Mount Allison University, where he obtained a Bachelor's Degree in History.

He began dental school at McGill University, while still completing his Bachelor's degree and at 23 graduated as a Doctor of Dental Surgery.

At that time Bermuda, unlike Canada, was a segregated society and Dr. Ratteray was eager to see this end. Beginning a long career in activism and politics, in 1959, as chairman of the Progressive Group, Dr. Ratteray and 17 other members organized the Theatre Boycott, which in two weeks, was successful in desegregating the movie theatres in Bermuda and served as a catalyst for desegregating restaurants and hotels too.

Later in 1959, he became a member of the Committee for Universal Adult Suffrage, supporting its campaign to abolish the property vote.

In 1964 Dr. Ratteray became a founding member of the United Bermuda Party. He was a member of the UBP delegation to the 1966 Constitutional Conference in London that laid down the framework for Bermuda's Constitution.

He was appointed to the Upper House (now the Senate) in 1968, becoming Minister of Education from 1969 to 1972. He had the task of integrating Bermuda's public schools, beginning with the island's 17 primary schools in 1971.

Dr. Ratteray retired from active politics in 1979.

In addition to his enthusiasm for the arts, he helped establish the Bermuda National Trust and also was deputy chairman of the Bermuda Mental Health Foundation.

Dentistry remained his first love. His periodic absences from the political scene were usually due to his desire to focus on his practice.

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