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Junkanoo, a lively festival celebrated in the Caribbean, is a vibrant display of music, dance, and costumes. It has a rich history dating back to the era of slavery and has deep cultural significance in countries like Jamaica and the Bahamas. Origins of Junkanoo Junkanoo is believed to have originated during slavery in the Caribbean. …
The history of The Bahamas is a tale of exploration, colonisation, and cultural diversity. Situated in the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies, this island country has a rich past that spans centuries. From the indigenous Lucayans to the arrival of Christopher Columbus and the subsequent colonisation by European powers, the history of The Bahamas …
History has been one of my favourite subjects since Primary school so it’s not surprising that my family history is important to me. Black History Month is a good opportunity to think about our ancestry. Like many Jamaican’s my ancestry is a mix-up and blend up! My great-grandfather on my dad’s side was white Irish. …
For over 40 years the people of Jamaica have suffered under the weight of massive debt. Jamaica is one of the most indebted countries and spends twice as much on debt repayments as it does on education and health combined. In 1972 Prime Minister Michael Manley instituted wide-ranging socialist reforms. The resulting trade deficit brought …
This is a lecture that contradicts what we know of our history. It manages to span over 10,000 years of our history in under an hour. It looks at the people who lived on the island of Jamaica prior to Christopher Columbus’ so-called discovery. It speaks about the transatlantic slave trade and how our history …
Ackee and Saltfish is the National Dish of Jamaica but neither ingredient is of Jamaican origin. Ackee Ackee is derived from the original name Ankye that comes from the Twi language of Ghana. Its botanical name, Blighia sapida, was given in honour of Captain William Bligh of Mutiny on the Bounty fame. Captain Bligh brought …
Jamaica has a population of 2.7 million people and 1.1 million people live below the poverty line. It’s no wonder then that some young children are the breadwinners for their families, often weaving in and out of cars selling goods or washing windscreens. Street Boys of Jamaica shines a spotlight on these boys and the …
Jamaica Welfare was founded by Norman Manley in 1937. It was the first large scale social welfare organisation on the island. It was formed from suggestions Manley made to United Fruit Company President Samuel Zemurray, while acting as a lawyer for the Jamaica Banana Producers Association. In the 1930s a plant disease killed off the …
The Rastafari movement emerged in 1930s Jamaica as an anti-colonial religious movement deeply rooted in the philosophies of the Back to Africa movement led by Marcus Garvey. The Rastafari movement celebrates Black Power, resistance, repatriation, and liberation, with a focus on fighting against colonial oppression and the evils of the world, referred to as the …
A new database called Legacies of British Slave-ownership has been launched by University College London (UCL). The database allows anyone to find out details of the families involved in slavery in the Caribbean; Mauritius; and the Cape Colony (part of modern-day South Africa). The British government paid out £20 million to compensate 3,000 slave-owning families for …
Slavery is alive, thriving and bigger than ever. The documentary, Slavery: A 21st Century Evil: Child slaves shines a light on child slavery in Haiti. Child slavery escalated six months after a devastating earthquake demolished the Haitian capital and left a generation of orphans.
This is a comprehensive documentary telling the life story of the controversial leader, Marcus Mosiah Garvey. The documentary uses a wealth of material from the Garvey movement-written documents, film and photographs-to reveal what motivated a poor Jamaican to set up an international organization for the African diaspora, what led to his early successes, and why …
The RED, BLACK and GREEN Flag was unveiled to the world by the Honourable Marcus Mosiah Garvey and the members of the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League, of the World at its first international convention on 13 August 1920. The UNIA-ACL knew that Africans at home and abroad needed there own flag …
Not many will know of Joseph Philippe Lemercier Laroche who is notable for being the only black man to have died on the Titanic. Joseph Philippe Lemercier Laroche was born in Cap Haitien, Haiti on 26 May 1886. Laroche descended directly from Haitian royalty. Jean-Jacques Dessalines, one of the major leaders of the Haitian Revolution …
This BBC documentary explores the life of Jamaica’s Usain Bolt the fastest man alive. Up close and personal with Usain Bolt Produced by French producer/director Gael Leiblang who secured exclusive access to Usain Bolt, this documentary gets up close and personal with him over 12 months as he prepared for the biggest race of his life. …
Rocksteady, a music genre that originated in Jamaica around 1966, played a significant role in shaping the sound of modern reggae music. This short-lived yet impactful genre evolved from its predecessor, Ska, and laid the foundation for reggae and other Jamaican music styles that followed. In this article, we will explore the origins, characteristics, and …
Ska music is a unique and influential genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1950s, laying the foundation for rocksteady and reggae music. With its catchy rhythms and upbeat melodies, Ska has significantly impacted the global music scene, inspiring several subcultures along the way. In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the origins of …
The French colonial empire, which began in the early 16th century, encompassed vast territories spanning continents such as North America, the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia. While it reached its peak during the 19th century under Emperor Napoleon III, the empire started to unravel after his defeat in the Franco-Prussian War and finally ended after World …
Catherine Flon, an often-overlooked figure in Haitian history, was pivotal in creating the Haitian flag. Like Betsy Ross in the United States, Flon has been mythologised for her contributions to her country’s independence. Despite the lack of detailed accounts of enslaved women in historical records, Flon’s story persists through oral tradition and popular memory. Early …
One of Jamaica’s National Heroes, George William Gordon was born to a slave mother and a planter father who was an attorney to several sugar estates in Jamaica. Seeing that his son George had special characteristics, Joseph Gordon decided to take an interest in his education from an early age. George went to live with …
The Morant Bay Rebellion was an uprising that took place in Jamaica on 11 October 1865. This rebellion is one of the most significant events in the history of the Caribbean nation, as it led to major political and social changes on the island. The revolt was a response to widespread poverty, social injustice, and …
The early 20th century saw an increasing push for self-government in Jamaica, fueled by dissatisfaction with the Crown Colony system and the hardships faced by the island’s population. In 1938, widespread unrest and strikes led to the formation of the first labour unions and political parties. The Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU), founded by Sir …
Often referred to as Queen Nanny, Nanny of the Maroons stands out in history as the only woman among Jamaica’s National Heroes. She possessed that fierce fighting spirit generally associated with the courage of men. In fact, Nanny is described as a fearless Ashanti warrior who used militarist techniques to foul and beguile the English. …
Samuel Sharpe is one of Jamaica’s National Heroes. He was the main instigator of the 1831 Slave Rebellion, which began on the Kensington Estate in St James, Jamaica and which was largely instrumental in bringing about the abolition of slavery. Because of his intelligence and leadership qualities, Sam Sharpe became a “daddy”, or leader of …
