E. Clement Bethel Estates

Edward Clement Bethel was a Bahamian composer and trained classical pianist who dedicated his life to the development of Bahamian culture. He co-wrote and directed the Independence Pageant, which was performed on the eve of the country’s independence in July 1973. Bethel also composed the folk opera Sammie Swain, which he adapted from a Bahamian folktale. His extraordinary talent led to his appointment as the first Director of Culture in The Bahamas.

Bethel’s Music in The Bahamas: its Roots, Rhyme and Personality, covered the development of Bahamian music from the slave era to the 20th century, and one chapter of that thesis was expanded into the book Junkanoo: Festival of The Bahamas.

In 2004, E Clement Bethel Estates was officially opened in honor of the legendary Bahamian musician.