Barbados, the Caribbean nation once ruled by Britain, is forging a new path to freedom by electing the country’s first-ever president, removing Queen Elizabeth from her role as the leader.  

RELATED: Queen, Royal Family Support Black Lives Matter, Aide Says  

Dame Sandra Mason was elected as the country’s first president. The 72-year-old was the first woman to serve on the Barbados Court of Appeals and has been the governor-general since 2018, according to BBC. She will be sworn in on November 30, which is the 55th anniversary of Barbados gaining independence from Britain.  

Last year, the nation announced it would move to the status of a republic, saying, “The time [has] come for Barbados to fully leave our colonial past behind.”  

RELATED: At UN, Nations Urge Overdue Reckoning With Colonial Crimes 

Once known for its sugar exports, Barbados has now strengthened its economy through tourism. The nation has followed the lead of Guyana, which gained independence from Britain in 1970, Trinidad and Tobago, which became free in 1976 and Dominica, which gained independence in 1978.