{{Short description|Bahamian historian, archivist (1944–2023)}} {{Infobox person | name = Gail Saunders | honorific_suffix = OBE | image = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = Diane Gail North | birth_date = {{birth date|1944|03|10|5|2|mf=y}} | birth_place = | death_date = {{death date and age|2023|10|30|1944|03|10|mf=y}} | death_place = New Providence, The Bahamas | nationality = | alma_mater = University of Newcastle upon Tyne; University of Leicester; University College London; University of Waterloo | other_names = | children = | occupation = Historian, archivist, educator and author | years_active = | known_for = | notable_works = | spouse = Winston Saunders (m. 1968) }} '''Gail Saunders''' OBE or '''Diane Gail North Saunders''' (March 10, 1944 – June 30, 2023) was a prominent Bahamian historian, archivist, author and athlete.<ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://thenassauguardian.com/2011/11/28/national-profile-dr-gail-saunders/|title=National Profile: Dr. Gail Saunders|date=2011-11-28|work=The Nassau Guardian|access-date=2017-11-19|language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bahamianproject.com/2013/01/dr-gail-saunders/|title=Dr. Gail Saunders|date=2013-01-22|work=The Bahamian Project|access-date=2017-11-19|language=en-US}}</ref>
She established the Bahamian National Archives and was the director from 1971 until 2004.<ref name=":0" /> She was the president of the Bahamas Historical Society from 1989 until 1999.<ref name=":0" /> Saunders was president of the Association of Caribbean Historians, president of the Caribbean Archives Association, and an executive member of the International Council on Archives.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=https://thenassauguardian.com/2012/06/20/prominent-historian-once-a-track-and-field-star/|title=Prominent historian once a track and field star |date=2012-06-20|work=The Nassau Guardian|access-date=2017-11-19|language=en-US}}</ref> She authored books about Bahamian history including ''Historic Bahamas'',<ref name=":1" /> ''Islanders in the Stream: A History of the Bahamian People,''<ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=5832|title=Review of Craton, Michael; Saunders, Gail, Islanders in the Stream: A History of the Bahamian People, Volume Two: From the Ending of Slavery to the Twenty-first Century and Craton, Michael; Saunders, Gail, Islanders in the Stream: A History of the Bahamian People, Volume One: From Aboriginal Times to the End of Slavery|last=Stone|first=Michael C.|date=January 2002|website=www.h-net.org|language=en|access-date=2017-11-19}}</ref> and ''Race and Class in the Colonial Bahamas, 1880-1960''.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web|url=http://www.thebahamasweekly.com/publish/bis-news-updates/Dr_Gail_Saunders_presents_a_copy_of_new_book_to_the_Governor_General49186.shtml|title=thebahamasweekly.com - Dr. Gail Saunders presents a copy of new book to the Governor General|website=www.thebahamasweekly.com|date=July 1, 2016|access-date=2017-11-19}}</ref> Saunders was also one of the four women who first represented the Bahamas in an international sports competition as a member of the sprint relay team at the 1962 Central American and Caribbean Games.<ref name=":1" /> She was made an ordinary officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003,<ref name=":8" /><ref name=":9" /> inducted into the Bahamas National Sports Hall of Fame in 2013,<ref name=":10" /> and appointed as a member of the national Order of Distinction in 2019.<ref name=":11" />
==Early life and education== Diane Gail North was born to Edward Basil and Audrey Virginia (Isaacs) North on March 10, 1944.{{citation needed|date=April 2018}} North earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history in 1966 from University of Newcastle upon Tyne and a postgraduate certificate in Education from the University of Leicester in 1967.<ref name=":0" /> Saunders also studied under historian Michael Craton at the University of Waterloo to earn a doctorate.<ref name=":0" />
== Athletics == During her high school and college years, North was a superior scholar and athlete.<ref name=":1" /> North represented the country on the sprint relay team at the 1962 Central American and Caribbean Games, in Kingston, Jamaica.<ref name=":1" /> At the event, along with Althea Rolle-Clarke, Elaine Thompson, and Christina Jones-Darville, she was one of the four women to first represent the Bahamas in an international sports competition.<ref name=":1" />
== Career == North taught history at Government High School for two years.<ref name=":0" /> In 1968, she married Winston Saunders<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite news|url=https://nicobethelblogworld.wordpress.com/2006/11/26/on-the-passing-of-winston-saunders/|title=On the Passing of Winston Saunders|date=2006-11-27|work=Blogworld on Wordpress|access-date=2017-11-19|language=en-US}}</ref> and the couple moved to England for further schooling.<ref name=":0" />
Saunders studied at University College London and worked at the British Council in the Public Record Offices to study the process for archiving.<ref name=":0" /> When the couple moved back to the Bahamas in 1969, she took a position at the library in the Ministry of Education, where she organised the records of the old Board of Education to make the first deposit in the National Archives.<ref name=":0" />
The Ministry of Education asked Saunders to establish the Bahamian National Archives.<ref name=":0" /> The archives were held at the Eastern Public Library (the Eastern Post Office) for 16 years.<ref name=":0" /> Saunders was the director from 1971 until 2004 and director-general of the archives until her retirement in 2008.<ref name=":0" />
Saunders was also president of the Association of Caribbean Historians, president of the Caribbean Archives Association, and an executive member of the International Council on Archives.<ref name=":1" />
Saunders authored books about Bahamian history, including ''Historic Bahamas'',<ref name=":1" /> ''Islanders in the Stream: A History of the Bahamian People (Volumes 1 and 2)'' with Michael Craton,<ref name=":2" /> and ''Race and Class in the Colonial Bahamas, 1880–1960.''<ref name=":3" />
After retirement from the National Archives, Saunders remained active in academic pursuits as a scholar-in-residence at the College of the Bahamas.<ref name=":0" />
== Later life and death == Saunders died at her home in western New Providence on 30 June 2023, at the age of 79.<ref>{{cite web |last=Bailey |first=Pavel |date=30 June 2023 |title=Historian Dr Gail Saunders dies age 79, PM pays tribute to 'beacon of light' |url=http://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/jun/30/historian-dr-gail-saunders-dies-age-79-pm-pays-tri/ |website=The Tribune |location=Bahamas}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Dames |first=Candia |date=July 3, 2023 |title=Gail Saunders dies at 79 |url=https://www.thenassauguardian.com/home/gail-saunders-dies-at-79/article_9dd06d46-bdbd-50e6-b07b-d5dd28b63d5f.html |website=The Nassau Guardian}} Updated October 12, 2023. Retrieved October 28, 2024.</ref><ref name=":6">{{Cite news |date=19 July 2023 |title=State-recognised funeral for Dr Diane Gail Saunders on Friday |url=https://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/jul/19/state-recognised-funeral-dr-diane-gail-saunders-fr/ |access-date=29 November 2024 |work=Tribune newspaper |location=Nassau, Bahamas}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite news |date=3 July 2023 |title=Editorial: The Woman who Charted Our History |url=https://www.tribune242.com/news/2023/jul/03/editorial-woman-who-charted-our-history/ |access-date=29 November 2024 |work=The Tribune newspaper |location=Nassau, Bahamas}}</ref> She was predeceased by her husband, who died in 2006.<ref name=":4" /> A state-recognised funeral was held for her on Friday 21 July 2023 at Christ Church Cathedral, Nassau.<ref name=":6" /> The Tribune, one of two Nassau daily newspapers, noted on her passing:<ref name=":5" /><blockquote><small>History was important to Dr Gail Saunders. And Dr Gail Saunders was important to our history.... Dr Saunders did not just record what happened in our nation’s history but examined what it meant, and fundamentally helped to define our understanding of race and class in the Bahamas. Her passing comes as we approach a landmark in history – 50 years as an independent nation....May those who follow her live up to the impact she has made on the Bahamas – and may she rest in peace.</small></blockquote>
== Awards and honours == Saunders was made an ordinary officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2003.<ref name=":8">{{Cite news|url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/2615845.stm|title=Commonwealth honours|date=2002-12-31|access-date=2017-11-19|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name=":9">{{Cite journal |date=31 December 2002 |title=Queen's New Years Honours List - Bahamas |url=https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/56799/supplement/30 |journal=The London Gazette |issue=56799 |pages=30 |quote=To be Ordinary Officers of the Civil Division of the said Most Excellent Order [of the British Empire]:... Dr. Gail Saunders. For service to the history of the Bahamas.}}</ref> The University of the West Indies awarded her an honorary degree in 2004.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mona.uwi.edu/marcom/newsroom/entry/2864|title=Thirteen to receive honorary degrees {{!}} Marketing and Communications Office, The University of West Indies at Mona|website=www.mona.uwi.edu|date=July 2, 2004|access-date=2017-11-19}}</ref> Saunders was also inducted into the Bahamas National Sports Hall of Fame in 2013.<ref name=":10">{{Cite web|url=http://www.thebahamasweekly.com/publish/sports/21_Inducted_into_2013_Bahamas_National_Sports_Hall_of_Fame31830.shtml|title=21 Inducted into 2013 Bahamas National Sports Hall of Fame|last=Ingraham|first=Felicity|date=November 28, 2013|website=www.thebahamasweekly.com|access-date=2017-11-19}}</ref>
In the 2019 National Honours, she was appointed as a Member of the Order of Distinction for her exemplary service to the Bahamas.<ref name=":11">{{cite web|url=https://www.thenassauguardian.com/home/gail-saunders-dies/article_94d825f8-1537-5ae7-8ef5-cce32fed82c1.html|title=Gail Saunders dies|website=The Nassau Guardian|date=October 12, 2023|access-date=October 28, 2024}}</ref>
In her will, Saunders left $200k to the University of the Bahamas.<ref name=":7">{{Cite news |date=2024-11-12 |title=Bequest to UB Honours Twin Legacies of Dr. Gail Saunders and Winston Saunders |url=https://www.ub.edu.bs/bequest-ub-honours-twin-legacies-dr-gail-saunders-winston-saunders/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250614005801/https://www.ub.edu.bs/bequest-ub-honours-twin-legacies-dr-gail-saunders-winston-saunders/ |archive-date=2025-06-14 |access-date=2025-08-28 |work=University of The Bahamas |language=en-US}}</ref> The university established the ''D. Gail Saunders Memorial Endowment Fund'' for history scholarships with half of the funds.<ref name=":7" /> The other half would boost an endowment established in honour of her husband (a former lawyer, teacher, and playwright) to fund scholarships for English majors.<ref name=":7" />
== Works == <small>''This is an incomplete list of the works of Dr. Gail Saunders (please help to complete it):''</small>
* ''Historic Bahamas''<ref name=":1" /> * ''Islanders in the Stream: A History of the Bahamian People (Volumes 1 and 2)'' with Michael Craton<ref name=":2" /> * ''Race and Class in the Colonial Bahamas, 1880–1960.''<ref name=":3" />
==References== {{Reflist|30em}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:North-Saunders, Gail}} Category:1944 births Category:2023 deaths Category:Alumni of Newcastle University Category:Alumni of the University of Leicester Category:Bahamian women sprinters Category:Bahamian historians Category:Bahamian women historians Category:Bahamian women writers Category:Bahamian writers Category:Competitors at the 1962 Central American and Caribbean Games Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire Category:University of Waterloo alumni Category:Women archivists