Dame ''Dame'' is an honorific title and the feminine form of address for the honour of damehood in many Christian chivalric orders, as well as the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British honours system and those of several oth ...

Marjorie Louise Bean DBE (25 May 1909 – 16 March 2001) was the first Bermudian woman to be appointed to Bermuda's former Legislative Council. She was a trustee and founding member of the Bermuda Public Services Union (BPSU).

Life

She began her career in education teaching English and geography at the Berkeley Institute. In 1948, she became the first black person to be appointed to an administrative position in Bermuda's Department of Education when she took on the job of Supervisor of Schools. She attended

Wilberforce University Wilberforce University is a private historically black university in Wilberforce, Ohio. Affiliated with the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME), it was the first college to be owned and operated by African Americans. It participates in t ...

(in Ohio),

Columbia University Columbia University (also known as Columbia, and officially as Columbia University in the City of New York) is a private research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Church in Manhatt ...

's Teachers College (in New York City), and the Institute of Education at the

University of London The University of London (UoL; abbreviated as Lond or more rarely Londin in post-nominals) is a federal public research university located in London, England, United Kingdom. The university was established by royal charter in 1836 as a degree ...

Awards

Dr. Bean was made a

Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(MBE) "in recognition of the significant contribution she made to education in Bermuda" in 1968. She was later advanced to Officer (OBE) in 1981, and, lastly, to Dame (DBE) in 1995. In 1977 she was awarded the

Queen's Silver Jubilee Medal The Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal (french: link=no, Médaille du jubilé d'argent de la reine Elizabeth II) is a commemorative medal created in 1977 to mark the 25th anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II's accession in 1952. The medal is p ...

Death

She died, aged 91, on 16 March 2001.

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Bean, Marjorie 1909 births 2001 deaths Dames Commander of the Order of the British Empire Teachers College, Columbia University alumni Alumni of the University of London Wilberforce University alumni Bermudian women in politics Place of birth missing 20th-century British women politicians