Majority Rule Day is a public holiday in the Bahamas, and it is observed on January 10 each year. The holiday commemorates the anniversary when the Bahamas government first gained the majority rule on this day in 1967.
The majority of the Bahamas population was black, but the predominantly white United Bahamian Party (UBP) led the government in the 1960s. During the 1967 general election, of the 38 seats, both the black Progressive Liberal Party (PLP) and the ruling white United Bahamian Party (UBP) won 18 seats. Randol Fawkes, a politician in the Bahamas, won one seat as the leader of the Labour Party.
Another independent won one seat but he cannot exercise his vote after becoming the speaker. Fawkes decided to side his seat to the black Progressive Liberal Party (PLP), which made the Bahamas the first time run by a black government.
The majority rule symbolizes the promise of equality, and it is one of the most important celebrations in the Bahamas along with the emancipation from slavery in 1834 and achieving independence from the United Kingdom in 1973. Majority Rule Day has been a public holiday in the Bahamas since 2014.
The following is the list of Majority Rule Day in the Bahamas from 2022 to 2026.
| Holiday | Date | Weekday |
|---|---|---|
| Majority Rule Day | Jan 10, 2022 | Monday |
| Majority Rule Day | Jan 10, 2023 | Tuesday |
| Majority Rule Day | Jan 10, 2024 | Wednesday |
| Majority Rule Day | Jan 10, 2025 | Friday |
| Majority Rule Day | Jan 10, 2026 | Saturday |
Please check more public holidays in the Bahamas: