BLACK SOCIAL HISTORY : AFRO- BARBADIAN DAME RUTH NITA BARROW, GCMG, DA, FRCN - THE FIRST FEMALE GOVERNOR- GENERAL OF BARBADOS : GOES INTO THE " HALL OF BLACK GENIUS "

                             BLACK          SOCIAL            HISTORY                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   Dame Ruth Nita Barrow, GCMG, DA, FRCN  15 November 1916 – 19 December 1995 was the first and only female Governor-General of Barbados. She a nurse and humanitarian activist from Barbados. She served as Governor-General of Barbados from 6 June 1990 until her death on 19 December 1995. She was also the sister of Errol Barrow.

Barrow trained as a nurse, midwife and health care administrator, holding a variety of nursing, public health and public administration jobs in Barbados and Jamaica in the 1940s/1950s.

She was a member of the Commonwealth Group of Eminent Persons that visited South Africa in 1986. During that mission she successfully thwarted South Africa's military restrictions, through entering the restricted area of Alexandria township disguised in African garb and head-dress.

In 1980 Barrow was conferred the highest honour in Barbados; she was made a Dame of St. Andrew (DA) of the Order of Barbados. She was also awarded an Honorary Fellowship of the Royal College of Nursing.

Positions

• Public health advisor to the World Health Organization & the Pan-American Health Organization (1963–75)
• President of the World YWCA (1975–83)
• President of the International Council for Adult Education (1982–90)
• President of the World Council of Churches (1983)
• Ambassador to the United Nations (1986–90)
• Honorary Fellow, Royal College of Nursing