Since all Caribbean & Jamaican publications only know bout Bob Marley, here are some important Jamaican figures we barely hear bout...

John Brown Russworm - Born into slavery in Port Antonio Jamaica to a Black slave mother and an English father, Russwurm was an American abolitionist who was the third black person to ever graduate from an American college...

A) He and Samuel Cornish (Leader of NYC free black community) founded the first African American owned newspaper "Freedom's Journal", which was an abolitionist paper...

B) In 1816 there was a group called the American Colonization Society which pushed for the migration of free blacks to Africa. Some abolitionists were against it & chose to fight for their freedom here citing that America wanted to soften the view of slavery/erase its history...

C) Despite most fights against the ACS(ACS was headed by white men) Russwurm supported it and moved to join the colony "Maryland in Africa" back in 1829. In 1835, he left the ACS cause of their policies...

C+) It turned out the ACS was mostly for migrating the Blacks they didn’t want in America & actually forced itself into Africa (of course). After leaving the ACS, Russwurm became the first black governor of "Maryland in Africa" in 1836...

E) After “Maryland in Africa” was being attacked by local African tribes for interrupting the slave trade in the area, the colony realized they needed support and could no longer operate independently & became part of what is now Liberia...

Robert Sutherland - Jamaican born lawyer...

1. Sutherland was the first black man to study law in the British N. America. First black graduate at a Canadian college....

1+1. Sutherland was arguably/allegedly the first black Canadian lawyer. (A fete which is usually debated between himself, Delos Davis, and Abraham Walker). Which is why I left it at alleged/arguably...

3. He died in 1878, he left his estate behind to his college (Queen's University) which saved the school from financial ruin...

Mary Seacole - Kingston born (1805), Seacole was a mixed woman having a Jamaican mother & Scottish father...

A) She learned nursing skills from her mother, who had a boarding house to take care of minority soldiers...

B) Seacole had a love for traveling, so she went to Central America, Britain, Cuba, Haiti, and the Bahamas where she combined her knowledge of traditional medicine with European medical tactics...

C) During the Crimea War she returned to England in an effort to help the wounded but was refused and turned away. Seacole then funded her own efforts to Crimea and established the British Hotel where she created quarters for sick officers...

C+) Her reputation rivaled Florence Nightingale’s which infuriated many of Nightingale’s supporters & Seacole’s reputation eventually brought up disputes on the legitimacy of her work...

Dr. Una Clarke - St. Elizabeth Jamaica born Una S.T Clarke was the first Caribbean born woman elected to NYC council from 1991 - 2001...

Dr. Nadine Burke Harris - Canadian born to Jamaican parents and raised in Jamaica...

1. Pediatrician Nadine Burke Harris is responsible for connecting childhood trauma to the health and behavior shown as an adult. Nadine is looked at as the pioneer in toxic stress treatment...

Amy Ashwood - Born in Port Antonio Jamaica, Amy was a Pan-Africanist and first wife of Marcus Garvey...

A) Amy led a group that was aimed at giving women the chance to be public leaders...

B) She founded the NYC weekly newspaper “Negro World”...
C) She later founded a night club in England (became a spot for Pan-Africanist to hangout and conduct meetings), became a producer, politician, and used her position to push women’s rights in Jamaica and Nigeria...

Dudley Thompson - Panamanian born, Jamaican raised Dudley Thompson was a Jamaican politician, diplomat, ambassador and Pan-Africanist...

1. Dudley was among Britain’s first black pilots, and went on to study law in England & receive a Bachelors...

1+1. When Jomo Kenyatta was taken by the British and being tried for treason, Dudley created an international legal team to represent Kenyatta who eventually was freed and later became president of Kenya...

3. Barbados, Trinidad, St. Kitts, Bermuda, Belize, Bahamas, and Grenada are a few places Dudley practiced law...He helped with the independence of the Bahamas and Belize...

4. Dudley was appointed England’s Queen Council, served as part of the United Nations, Jamaica’s Senate, House of Representatives, Ambassador/High Commisioner to Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Namibia and was also part of the efforts of attempting to get reparations for slavery...

Arthur Stanley Wint - Olympic runner born in Plowden Gyalchester...

A) Wint was Jamaica's first Olympic Gold medalist. Wint won the gold Men's 400 meters, Silver 800 meter but pulled a muscle during the 4 x 400 meter relay, all during the 1948 London Olympics...

B) In 1952 his team won the gold & set a world record for the 4 x 400 meter relay, the following year he went on to graduate as a doctor. Wint received high honors from Queen Elizabeth II, he became the commissioner of Jamaica to Britain, and also an ambassador to Sweden...

Yvette Francis McBarnette - Jamaican born premier medical professional in treating kids with sickle cell anemia...

A) Yvette graduated from Hunter College at 17, since she was too young for medical school she went to Colombia University for her Master’s...

B) She became the 2nd black woman to attend Yale School of Medicine...

C) She worked at Bellevue, and was also the director of Sickle Cell Anemia clinic at Jamaica Hospital...

C+) Throughout the 60’s & 70’s Yvette helped over 20k kids and was the first to use antibiotics to effectively treat kids with sickle cell anemia. Her methods weren’t acknowledged for their effectiveness til’ 1995...

Dr. Thomas Lecky - Jamaican born specialist in crop production...

Dr. Lecky receieved a PhD for his work in cattle breeding and genetics. He created (by cross breeding) 4 different high quality & disease resistant cattle breeds that could thrive in Jamaica’s climate...

Dr. Lecky was honored by the British Empire and was the first Jamaican to receive a doctorate in agriculture...

Professor Manley West - Jamaican born Pharmaceutical professional...

A) Professor West created an eye drop called Canasol that treated glaucoma. Canasol was developed using marijuana, which made a huge impact because this drug didn’t have any of the negative impacts traditional glaucoma medicines had...

B) Dr. Lockhart was a Jamaican ophthalmologist and Professor Manley West’s partner in research... Lockhart realized his Rasta patients that used ganja didn’t suffer from eye problems & heard their stories about their vision...

C) In country, you can often hear Jamaicans say ganja eyewash helped them to see better, and people who drank ganja tea had similar claims...Prof. Manley & Dr. Lockhart studied these claims which helped them develop Canasol...

C+) They both received awards of high honors for Canasol, and Prof. West later went on to create Asmasol, a drug treating the flu, cold and asthma...

Marcus Garvey - Black nationalist & Jamaica's first national hero from Saint Ann’s Bay. Garvey inspired millions to challenge white supremacy, promoted the thoughts of black industry, self reliance & pride through economic & industrial opportunities from his Harlem NY office...

1. Garvey believed all African/black people should unite, black people relied too much on support & acceptance from the whites which he viewed as cowardice...

1+1. Black Star Line was his shipping line that was used to promote black commerce, and eventually planned to be used to return African Americans to their homeland. The Black Star in Ghana’s flag is from Garvey’s Black Star Line logo...

3. Garvey thought we should use segregation to fight and build our own, just like every other race did. His views caused a rift among himself and other black leaders like W.E.B DuBois...

4. Garvey sat with a KKK leader about separation, which caused DuBois & members of the NAACP to write a letter to the Justice Department to help get him imprisoned...

5. The first ever black F.B.I agent was simply hired to infiltrate Marcus Garvey's organization, F.B.I spies in the NAACP & countless black publications/organizations fueled the African American vs Caribbean American rift we still suffer from today...

6. After his prison sentence, Garvey was deported back to Jamaica where he let it be known, he preferred and was okay w/ the prejudice of the American whites because at least their racism was clear & in his face while the British prejudice in Jamaica was concealed...

7. His teachings inspired the Nation of Islam, Malcolm X, Rastafari and many other Pan African groups/beliefs...

Nanny of the Maroons - One of the most notable Maroon leaders and Jamaica’s National Hero...

A) Nanny escaped slavery with a few of her friends/brothers once they got to Jamaica...

B) These friends escaped to Jamaica’s Blue Mountains where they parted ways to build their own communities & assimilate with the Taino people...

C) After the British came to Jamaica and defeated the Spanish, they pushed through the country w/ obvious resistance from the Maroons...

C+) Nanny was known for her military prowess, elusiveness and despite being heavily outnumbered by the British, she did ah kick kick up dem bumbohole & constantly defeated them making their efforts and slave trade difficult...

E) She was said to be fierce in battle, incredibly skilled in obeah, and wore a girdle w/ 10 knives hanging from it.

F) The Maroons raided & destroyed plantations, freeing slaves, the British eventually called for a truce and struck a deal w/ some of the Maroon tribes to end their first war...

G) The maroon communities still exist in Jamaica today, keeping the original practices alive. Buju Banton is also a direct descendant of Maroons...