“It is time for us to play our rightful role. We were put here to be helpers, to be partakers. And so we are on a mission, its women on a mission, as I said, we are not on an excursion, its a mission.”
- Rev. Ruby Ann Cooper-Darling
Dr. Ruby Ann Cooper-Darling was born June 28, 1941, whose father was a Baptist minister and was a very active outspoken freedom fighter in the struggle for Majority Rule in The Bahamas. This sparked an interest in Ruby to become involved in the political scene. Mrs. Cooper-Darling was on a mission, that would change her life as well as tens of thousands of black Bahamian women. She became the first woman to register as a voter in the Commonwealth of The Bahamas in 1962. 25 years later, in 1987, she became only the second woman to be elected to the House of Assembly and the first woman to serve as a representative of a Family Island constituency (Exuma).
Dr. Cooper-Darling is an Educator, Ordained Minister, Columnist, Musician/Church Organist, Former Senator and Member of Parliament, Distinguished Senior Citizen of The World, (Istanbul, Turkey) (Global Peace Ambassador (Seoul, Korea) and Onyx Magazine 2017, (Orlando, Florida) recipient of The Legacy Award for Women On The Move. She continues as a Facilitator for the Florida and National Student Leadership Forum on Faith & Values hosted by The United States Senators. She is also involved with International Friends of the National Prayer Breakfast hosted by both Senators and Congressmen and women and attended by The President of The United States of America.
Dr. Cooper-Darling is widely traveled and invited as a speaker both locally and internationally. She is the mother of three, twins Dwight and Dawn, Odessa, 6 grandchildren Nia, Joshua, Ashley, and twins Faith and David. She loves gardening because she says the earth reminds her from whence, she came Rubyann Darling.
Ruby Ann Darling was administered the Oath of Allegiance, the Oath of Office and was presented with the Instrument of Appointment as Deputy to the Governor General by Chief Justice Sir Ian Winder during a Swearing-In Ceremony in the Drawing Room at Government House on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. (BIS Photos/Letisha Henderson)
NASSAU, The Bahamas -- Minister of Social Services the Hon. Frankie Campbell, Minister of Youth, Sports and Culture the Hon. Lanisha Rolle, and Wife of the Prime Minister (Office of the Spouse) Patricia Minnis joined a wide cross-section of Bahamian female political and government officials in honoring seven female political "firsts", at a ceremony, held at St. Joseph's Church Hall on February 24, 2020. (BIS Photos / Eric Rose)
NASSAU, The Bahamas -- Mrs. Ruby Ann Darling was administered the Oath of Allegiance and the Oath of Office as Deputy to the Governor General by Chief Justice Sir Ian Winder, in the Diplomat Room of the Office of the Governor General on Wednesday, November 22, 2023. Government House announced today the appointment of Mrs. Ruby Ann Darling to act as Deputy to the Governor General with effect from 22nd November 2023, due to the absence from office of Her Excellency the Most Honourable Cynthia A. Pratt, Governor General. (BIS Photos/Letisha Henderson)
NASSAU, The Bahamas -- Mr. Howard Newbold and Members of the Class of 1972 Bahamas Teacher's College paid a courtesy call upon Mrs. Ruby Ann Darling, Deputy to the Governor General at the Office of the Governor General, on Friday, December 1, 2023. Pictured from left: Mr. Abraham Stubbs, Mr. Howard Newbold, Mrs. Ruby Ann Darling, Ms. Jacqueline Isaacs, and Mrs. Roselyn Horton, Secretary to the Governor General. (BIS Photo/Letisha Henderson)
NASSAU, The Bahamas -- Mrs. Ruby Ann Darling was administered the Oath of Allegiance and the Oath of Office as Deputy to the Governor General by Chief Justice Sir Ian Winder, in the Diplomat Room of the Office of the Governor General on Wednesday, November 22, 2023. Government House announced today the appointment of Mrs. Ruby Ann Darling to act as Deputy to the Governor General with effect from 22nd November 2023, due to the absence from office of Her Excellency the Most Honourable Cynthia A. Pratt, Governor General. (BIS Photos/Letisha Henderson)
Mrs. Ruby Ann Darling, Deputy to the Governor General, administered the requisite Oath to Mrs. Helen Almorales-Jones, Vice-President of the Bahamas Industrial Tribunal to act as President of the Bahamas Industrial Tribunal, during a brief ceremony at the Office of the Governor General on Tuesday, November 28, 2023. (BIS Photos/Letisha Henderson)
National Women's Week Planning Committee pays a courtesy call at the Office of the Governor General November 28, 2023. Pictured seated from left; Melvylnn Symonette, Actg. DPS/Department of Gender and Family Affairs; Donette Williamson, Under Secretary/Ministry of Social Services, Information and Broadcasting; Ruby Ann Darling, Deputy to the Governor General; Portia Nottage, Chair/National Women's Advisory Council; Pastor Erika Moxey, National Women's Advisory Council. Standing from left: Charlene Paul, Therena Cunningham (S.T.R.A.W. Inc.); Sharma Forbes (Bridge Authority); Minister Stephanie Frith (Princess Court Ministries); Shemah Darling (Immigration Dept.); Belinda Wilson (Bahamas Union of Teachers); Sharon Martin (Tripartite Council); Khandi Gibson (Families of all Murdered Victims); Elle Clarke, Patrice Hanna-Carey, and Bernadette Gibson (Pilot Club).
Minister of Social Services and Urban Development, the Hon. Frankie A. Campbell, with Mrs. Rubyann Cooper-Darling (right), who in 1962 became the first Bahamian woman to register to vote at the age of 21. The right to register to vote came on the heels of the Women’s Suffrage Movement’s fight for equal rights for all women in The Bahamas. At left is Dr. Jacinta Higgs, Director, Department of Gender and Family Affairs, Ministry of Social Services and Urban Development. (BIS Photo/Matt Maura)
Mrs. Ruby Ann Darling who was the Deputy to the Governor General, received Mr. Basil J. Moss, president of the Acklins Trade and Development Association, and members, in a courtesy call at the Office of the Governor General on Wednesday, November 15, 2023. Pictured from left: Philippa Charlton, Ida Collie, B.J. Moss, Mrs. Ruby Ann Darling, Beryl Ferguson and Cardie Cox. (BIS Photo/Letisha Henderson)
Mrs. Ruby Ann Darling, Deputy to the Governor General, paid last respects to the family of the late former Senator and Diplomat Her Excellency Ambassador Alma Adams at Lie-in-State ceremonies in the Foyer of the Senate on Thursday, November 16, 2023. (BIS Photos/Letisha Henderson)
Employees of the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDOCS) who have served the organization for 18 years are shown with Deputy to the Governor General Ruby Ann Darling (front row, right) and Bernadette Thompson-Murray, Acting Commissioner of Corrections (front row, left).
Mrs. Ruby-Ann Darling, first Bahamian woman registered to vote, addresses a special assembly in honor of Majority Rule Day at Palmdale Primary School. (BIS Photos/Letisha Henderson)
Shown from left: Dr. Clinton Josey Sr., vice principal; Mrs. Ruby-Ann Darling, first Bahamian woman registered to vote in a General Election; and Mrs. Deanne Huyler, principal.
Mrs. Ruby-Ann Darling, the first Bahamian woman registered to vote in a General Election, accepts a token of appreciation from students of Palmdale Primary School.
RUBY ANN COOPER-DARLING, the first Bahamian woman who registered to vote, was honored on Saturday at a ball hosted by the Progressive Liberal Party. Mrs Cooper-Darling (right) is pictured with United States Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, who presented her with a copy of the Congressional Record showing her contributions and achievements which will be permanently placed in the United States Library of Congress. (Photo: Moise Amisial)
July 2 1962 becoming the first Bahamian Woman to vote.
Employees of the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDOCS) who have served the organization for 30 years are shown with Deputy to the Governor General Ruby Ann Darling (front row, centre); Bernadette Thompson-Murray, Acting Commissioner of Corrections (second from left) and other members of the executive team of BDOCS.
Employees of the Bahamas Department of Correctional Services (BDOCS) who have served the organization for 25 years are shown with Deputy to the Governor General Ruby Ann Darling (in the front row, centre); Bernadette Thompson-Murray, Acting Commissioner of Corrections (second from left, front row) and other members of the executive team of BDOCS.
Great Women in Bahamian History by