Nassau, Bahamas - Darius Williams will speak at the next Bahamas Historical Society meeting on Thursday, February 24th on the The Church History of St Stevens Parish, highlighting Grand Bahama.

Darius D. Williams is a Grand Bahamian entrepreneur with an artistic and engineering background. He was born in Rock Sound, Eleuthera, the son of a Family Island Administrator and a Schoolteacher turned housewife. He is author of The Rail and Locomotive History of the Bahamas. He is currently working on a second book, The Heritage of Grand Bahama and its People. He can be seen on U Tube on the National Art Gallery of the Bahamas web site. He has been featured in all major local newspapers, on ZNS TV, Bahamas at Sunrise and Charles Carter’s Bahamians. He has articles published in the current editions of the Bahamas Handbook and The Bahamas Historical Society’s Journal. He has given many presentations to schools, social clubs, heritage festivals, Grand Bahamas Business Outlook and the Bahamas Historical Society. He has lectured at The College of the Bahamas Northern Campus. Mr. Williams is married and a father of two. He is a member of the Bahamas Society of Engineers and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. He is also a member of The Bahamas Historical Society, The Grand Bahama Heritage Foundation, and The Bahamas National Trust. Industrial and social history, visual and performing arts, sports, baking and anything technical in nature are his passions.

The Church History of St Stevens Parish, highlighting Grand Bahama

Grand Bahama has a Church History that spans over 170 years. The first 100 years of this history is dominated by two denominations, the Anglicans and The Zion Baptist Society. The slideshow presentation will highlight this rich history which brought a sense of stability to a largely neglected people. St Stephen’s Parish initially included Andros, Bimini, Berry Islands and Grand Bahama. The Baptist circuit included Abaco but not Andros. It will also briefly touch on the entry of other denominations to Grand Bahama over the last 70 years.

The Bahamas Historical Society (BHS) is a non-profit organization dedicated to stimulating interest in Bahamian History and to the collection and preservation of material relating thereto. Its Headquarters, the former IODE Hall, was a gift from the Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire (IODE). BHS is on Shirley Street and Elizabeth Avenue in Nassau. www.bahamashistoricalsociety. com