National heroes
Alexander Bustamante
He became a leader in activism against colonial rule. He gained recognition by writing frequent letters on the issues to the Daily Gleaner newspaper. In 1937 he was elected as treasurer of the Jamaica Workers' Union (JWU), which had been founded by labour activist Allan G.S. Coombs. During the 1938 labour rebellion, he quickly became identified as the spokesman for striking workers, who were mostly of African and mixed-race descent. Coombs' JWU became the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU) after the revolt, and Bustamante became known as "The Chief"....
The Right Excellent Sir William Alexander Clarke Bustamante GBE (24 February 1884 – 6 August 1977) was a Jamaican politician and labour leader who became the first prime minister of Jamaica. Bustamante is honoured in Jamaica with the title National Hero of Jamaica in recognition of his achievements.
In 1940, he was imprisoned on charges of subversive activities. The widespread anti-colonial activism finally resulted in Parliament's granting universal suffrage in 1944 to Jamaica. Released from prison in 1943, Bustamente founded the Jamaica Labour Party the same year. Previously he had belonged to the People's National Party (founded in 1938 by his cousin Norman Manley). Bustamante's party won 22 of 32 seats in the first House of Representatives elected by universal suffrage. He became the unofficial government leader, representing his party as Minister for Communications, until the position of Chief Minister was created in 1953. He held this position until the JLP was defeated in 1955. In 1947 and 1948, he was elected as mayor of Kingston.
Though initially a supporter of the Federation of the West Indies, during the 1950s, Bustamente gradually opposed the union. He agitated for Jamaica to become independent of Great Britain. He said that the JLP would not contest a by-election to the federal parliament. His rival and cousin, Premier Norman Manley, called a referendum on the issue in 1961; Jamaicans voted for the nation's withdrawal from the Federation.[citation needed]
After Jamaica was granted independence in 1962, Bustamante served as the first Prime Minister until 1967. In 1965 he withdrew from active participation in public life, and the true power was held by his deputy, Donald Sangster.
In 1969, Bustamante was proclaimed a 'National Hero of Jamaica', along with Norman Manley, the black liberationist Marcus Garvey and two leaders of the 1865 Morant Bay rebellion, Paul Bogle and George William Gordon.
Bustamante died in 1977 and was buried in the National Heroes Park in Kingston.
A Jamaican candy, the Bustamante backbone, is named for him. It is a hard, grated coconut and sugar confection "which is said to represent his firmness of character." Bustamante was considered a "buster", "a champion of the common man and tough article." Gizzada is a similar sweet
The Right Excellent Sir William Alexander Clarke Bustamante GBE (24 February 1884 – 6 August 1977) was a Jamaican politician and labour leader who became the first prime minister of Jamaica. Bustamante is honoured in Jamaica with the title National Hero of Jamaica in recognition of his achievements.
In 1940, he was imprisoned on charges of subversive activities. The widespread anti-colonial activism finally resulted in Parliament's granting universal suffrage in 1944 to Jamaica. Released from prison in 1943, Bustamente founded the Jamaica Labour Party the same year. Previously he had belonged to the People's National Party (founded in 1938 by his cousin Norman Manley). Bustamante's party won 22 of 32 seats in the first House of Representatives elected by universal suffrage. He became the unofficial government leader, representing his party as Minister for Communications, until the position of Chief Minister was created in 1953. He held this position until the JLP was defeated in 1955. In 1947 and 1948, he was elected as mayor of Kingston.
Though initially a supporter of the Federation of the West Indies, during the 1950s, Bustamente gradually opposed the union. He agitated for Jamaica to become independent of Great Britain. He said that the JLP would not contest a by-election to the federal parliament. His rival and cousin, Premier Norman Manley, called a referendum on the issue in 1961; Jamaicans voted for the nation's withdrawal from the Federation.[citation needed]
After Jamaica was granted independence in 1962, Bustamante served as the first Prime Minister until 1967. In 1965 he withdrew from active participation in public life, and the true power was held by his deputy, Donald Sangster.
In 1969, Bustamante was proclaimed a 'National Hero of Jamaica', along with Norman Manley, the black liberationist Marcus Garvey and two leaders of the 1865 Morant Bay rebellion, Paul Bogle and George William Gordon.
Bustamante died in 1977 and was buried in the National Heroes Park in Kingston.
A Jamaican candy, the Bustamante backbone, is named for him. It is a hard, grated coconut and sugar confection "which is said to represent his firmness of character." Bustamante was considered a "buster", "a champion of the common man and tough article." Gizzada is a similar sweet
Paul Bogle
Paul Bogle, it is believed, was born free about 1822. He was a Baptist deacon in Stony Gut, a few miles north of Mo-rant Bay, and was eligible to vote at a time when there were only 104 voters in the parish of St. Thomas. He was a firm political supporter of George William Gordon.
Poverty and injustice in the society and lack of public confidence in the central authority, urged Bogle to lead a protest march to the Mo rant Bay courthouse on October 11, 1865.
In a violent confrontation with full official forces that followed the march, nearly 500 people were killed and a greater number was flogged and punished before order was restored. Bogle was captured and hanged on October 24, 1865; but his forceful demonstration achieved its objectives. It paved the way for the establishment of just practices in the courts and it brought about a change in official attitude, which made possible the social and economic betterment of the people.
Poverty and injustice in the society and lack of public confidence in the central authority, urged Bogle to lead a protest march to the Mo rant Bay courthouse on October 11, 1865.
In a violent confrontation with full official forces that followed the march, nearly 500 people were killed and a greater number was flogged and punished before order was restored. Bogle was captured and hanged on October 24, 1865; but his forceful demonstration achieved its objectives. It paved the way for the establishment of just practices in the courts and it brought about a change in official attitude, which made possible the social and economic betterment of the people.
George William Gordon
George William Gordon, (1820-1865) was a Jamaican businessman and politician
who was a leading critic of the policies of the governor of Jamaica Edward Eyre. On Eyre's orders, he was executed after the Morant Bay rebellion. Gorden's execution created huge controversy in Britain, and several attempts were made to charge Eyre with murder. On the centenary of his death, he was proclaimed a National Hero of Jamaica.
who was a leading critic of the policies of the governor of Jamaica Edward Eyre. On Eyre's orders, he was executed after the Morant Bay rebellion. Gorden's execution created huge controversy in Britain, and several attempts were made to charge Eyre with murder. On the centenary of his death, he was proclaimed a National Hero of Jamaica.
Marcus Garvey
Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Jr., O.N.H was a Jamaican political leader, publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, and orator who was a staunch proponent of the Black nationalism and Pan-African-ism movements.Prior to the twentieth century, leaders such as Prince Hall, Martin Delaney, Edward Wilmot Blyden, and Henry Highland Garnet advocated the involvement of the African diaspora in African affairs. Garvey was unique in advancing a Pan-African philosophy to inspire a global mass movement and economic empowerment focusing on Africa known as Garvey-ism. Promoted by the U.N I A as a movement of African Redemption, Garvey-ism would eventually inspire others, ranging from the Nation of Islam to the Rastafarian movement (which proclaims Garvey as a prophet). The intent of the movement was for those of African ancestry to "redeem" Africa and for the European colonial powers to leave it. His essential ideas about Africa were stated in an editorial in the Negro World titled "African Fundamentalism" where he wrote: "Our union must know no clime, boundary, or nationality… to let us hold together under all climes and in every country…"
History Sheet Music for "Every Race Has a Flag but the Coon" The flag was created in 1920 by members of U.N.I.A in response to the enormously popular 1900 coon song "Every Race Has a Flag but the Coon," which has been cited as one of the three coon songs that "firmly established the term coon in the American vocabulary". A 1921 report appearing in Africa Times and Orient Review, for which Marcus Garvey previously worked, quoted Garvey regarding the importance of the flag:
Show me the race or the nation without a flag, and I will show you a race of people without any pride. Aye! In song and mimicry they have said, "Every race has a flag but the coon." How true! Aye! But that was said of us four years ago. They can't say it now....
Journalist Charles Mowbray White has asserted that Garvey originally proposed the colors red, black and green for the following reasons: "Garvey said red because of sympathy for the 'Reds of the world', and the Green their sympathy for the Irish in their fight for freedom, and the Black- [for] the Negro."
The flag later became an African nationalist symbol for the worldwide liberation of people of African origin. As an emblem of Black pride, the flag became popular during the Black Liberation movement of the 1960s. In 1971, the school board of Newark, New Jersey, passed a resolution permitting the flag to be raised in public school classrooms. Four of the board's nine members were not present at the time, and the resolution was introduced by the board's teen member, a mayoral appointee. Fierce controversy ensued, including a court order that the board show cause why they should not be forced to rescind the resolution, and at least two state legislative proposals to ban ethnic or national flags in public classrooms other than the official U.S. flag.
In the United States, the flag is presently widely available through flag shops or ethnic specialty stores. It is commonly seen at parades commemorating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, civil rights rallies, and other special events.
Show me the race or the nation without a flag, and I will show you a race of people without any pride. Aye! In song and mimicry they have said, "Every race has a flag but the coon." How true! Aye! But that was said of us four years ago. They can't say it now....
Journalist Charles Mowbray White has asserted that Garvey originally proposed the colors red, black and green for the following reasons: "Garvey said red because of sympathy for the 'Reds of the world', and the Green their sympathy for the Irish in their fight for freedom, and the Black- [for] the Negro."
The flag later became an African nationalist symbol for the worldwide liberation of people of African origin. As an emblem of Black pride, the flag became popular during the Black Liberation movement of the 1960s. In 1971, the school board of Newark, New Jersey, passed a resolution permitting the flag to be raised in public school classrooms. Four of the board's nine members were not present at the time, and the resolution was introduced by the board's teen member, a mayoral appointee. Fierce controversy ensued, including a court order that the board show cause why they should not be forced to rescind the resolution, and at least two state legislative proposals to ban ethnic or national flags in public classrooms other than the official U.S. flag.
In the United States, the flag is presently widely available through flag shops or ethnic specialty stores. It is commonly seen at parades commemorating Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, civil rights rallies, and other special events.
Colors and significance :The three Pan: African colors on the flag represent:
Red: the blood that unites all people of Black African ancestry, who shed for liberation; Black: black people whose existence as a nation, though not a nation-state, is affirmed by the existence of the flag; and Green: the abundant natural wealth of Africa.
Red: the blood that unites all people of Black African ancestry, who shed for liberation; Black: black people whose existence as a nation, though not a nation-state, is affirmed by the existence of the flag; and Green: the abundant natural wealth of Africa.
Sam Sharp
Samuel 'Sam' Sharpe, or Sharp, National Hero of Jamaica was the slave leader behind the Jamaican Baptist War slave rebellion. Samuel Sharpe was born in the parish of St. James. Born: 1801, . Died: May 23, 1832, Montego Bay Jamaica.Samuel Sharpe was born in the parish of St. James. Although Samuel Sharpe was a slave most of his life, he was allowed to become well-educated. Because of his education he was respected by other slaves, and he was a well known preacher and leader.
Sharpe was a Deacon at the Burchell Baptist Church in Montego Bay, whose pastor was Rev Thomas Burchell. Sam Sharpe spent most of his time traveling to different parishes in Jamaica educating the slaves about Christianity and freedom.
In the mistaken belief that emancipation had already been granted by the British Parliament, Sharpe organized a peaceful general strike across many estates in western Jamaica at a critical time for the plantation owners: harvest of the sugar cane.
The Christmas Rebellion (Baptist War) began on 25 December 1831 at the Kensington Estate. Reprisals by the plantation owners led to the rebels burning the crops. His peaceful protest turned into Jamaica's largest slave rebellion, killing hundreds, including 14 whites.
The rebellion was put down by the Jamaican military within two weeks and many of the ringleaders, including Sharpe, were hanged in 1832. Just before he was hanged for his role in the rebellion, Sharpe said "I would rather die among yonder gallows, than live in slavery." The rebellion caused two detailed Parliamentary Inquiries which arguably contributed to the 1833 Abolition of Slavery across the British Empire.
Sharpe was a Deacon at the Burchell Baptist Church in Montego Bay, whose pastor was Rev Thomas Burchell. Sam Sharpe spent most of his time traveling to different parishes in Jamaica educating the slaves about Christianity and freedom.
In the mistaken belief that emancipation had already been granted by the British Parliament, Sharpe organized a peaceful general strike across many estates in western Jamaica at a critical time for the plantation owners: harvest of the sugar cane.
The Christmas Rebellion (Baptist War) began on 25 December 1831 at the Kensington Estate. Reprisals by the plantation owners led to the rebels burning the crops. His peaceful protest turned into Jamaica's largest slave rebellion, killing hundreds, including 14 whites.
The rebellion was put down by the Jamaican military within two weeks and many of the ringleaders, including Sharpe, were hanged in 1832. Just before he was hanged for his role in the rebellion, Sharpe said "I would rather die among yonder gallows, than live in slavery." The rebellion caused two detailed Parliamentary Inquiries which arguably contributed to the 1833 Abolition of Slavery across the British Empire.