History Coursework
What effect did the social unrest of the 1930s and the 1940s have on the development of the trade union and political parties on the commonwealth of the Bahamas. The progressive liberal party (PLP) in 1953grew out of the rising discontent of the majority of the Bahamas . The PLP’s original members, including Hp Taylor , Williams Cartwright, and Cyril Stevenson, were almost all middle class mulattoes who were initially unable to convince the laboring class of blacks that they represented the same interest. Numerous blacks that they represented the same interest . Numerous black feared victimization if they joined a party that was against the ‘Bay Street Boys’ as the white merchants would often called. The Racial discord of the 1950s was reflected by continue racial segregation in the public places including boats, restaurants and theatres . As the PLP raised the awareness of these issues it became clear that reforms needed to take places . In 1956 Etienne Dupuch brought forth a resolution protesting discrimination before the house of assembly, banning all forms of public segregation . Under the pressure, the resolution was eventually passed. The resolution was important but it didn’t bring about any change. His Excellency Sir Clifford Darling, The former taxicab driver served as general secretary of the Bahamas Taxi Cab Union for eight years and as president for ten. In the early 1950s Sir Clifford bargained with hotels , had their own busses to transfer vistors to and from the new Nassau International Airport and other destinations . As a result many Taxi drivers had no passengers , except residents to take from the airport. The problem reached a boiling point in November 1957, when the cab union , with Sir Clifford as president , blockaded and closed the airport .A general strike followed in January 1958. Sir