International Year for People of African Descent

Vol. 1 No.1 ISSN 0799-0723 August 2011

2011 is being recognized by the United Nations as the International Year for People of African Descent. As the repository of Jamaica‟s history and heritage the National Library of Jamaica (NLJ) sees it fit and is proud to play a part in highlighting this year. The NLJ will commemorate this year through this five part series of special articles, this being the first. The National Library of Jamaica will also mount an exhibition later this year at the Institute of Jamaica‟s Exhibition Gallery that will focus on people of African Descent.

People of African descent the world over have consistently contributed to developments in human life. Some of the greatest achievements in history have been realized by these said people some of whom are also Jamaican. This article will highlight one of the most outstanding Jamaicans of all time. He was a man whose work touched hundreds of thousands of people the world over, he was an orator, a writer, a publisher and an entrepreneur, able to command millions with his winsome words. Who was he? None other than the Rt. Honourable Marcus Mosiah Garvey. Marcus Garvey was born in 1887 in the rural Jamaican parish of St. Ann, from an early age he recognized the fact that blacks were at a disadvantage and became involved in movements that were aimed at improving the situation of negros.

Inside this issue

Page1 International Year for People of African Descent

Page 5 Answer to an Anonymous Libel Written By Lord Archibald Hamilton in MDCCXVIII

Page 7 National Library of Jamaica Act 2010… So What?

Page 9 Sayings of Marcus Garvey

Marcus Garvey delivering the Constitution for Negro Rights at a Convention held at Liberty Hall

In 1910 Garvey left Jamaica and travelled to Central America and then on to England. His life experiences through these travels as well as extensive reading led him to refine his philosophy and his approach to the betterment of blacks everywhere. Garvey came along at a time when racism was rife and black pride was almost unheard of. He rallied millions of blacks worldwide with his back to Africa call and sayings of „Africa for Africans.‟ Garvey was just what black people needed at the time. Through his speeches and publications he gave people of African descent the reasons to be proud with sayings such as “Up you mighty race! You can accomplish what you will.” And “…I have my sober judgement, advice to give; and I am advising you to prepare yourselves as individuals, as a group, as a race, and fight your battles and fight them well.”

What was his mission? Marcus Garvey‟s Mission was to unite „all the negro people of the world into one great body to establish a country and a government exclusively their own. To cement this vision in all his followers he adopted the motto: „One God, One Aim, One Destiny.‟ Garvey envisioned that negros could uplift themselves through business ownership. To that end the Black Star Line steamship company was started. As a result of his enormous popularity among black people and his continuous challenge against government systems Garvey was seen in the U.S. and in England as an agitator.

He was finally convicted of mail fraud in the United States and sentence to five years in prison. After spending only two years of that sentence he was deported to Jamaica. On his return home Garvey was opposed considerably and even ridiculed by some. Nevertheless, he continued to voice his opinions even forming Jamaica‟s first political party the People‟s Political Party (PPP). Unable to achieve the desires he had for blacks in Jamaica Garvey again left the country for England where he died in 1940.

Marcus Garvey has been dead now for over 70 years nonetheless his work lives on. His writings and teachings have formed the backbone of many scholarly writings and research and have spawned many songs. Some even hail him as the father of „black power movements‟.

Marcus Mosiah Garvey 1887-1940 Jamaica‟s first National Hero

Marcus Garvey’s Legacy- These are but a few of the ways that Marcus Garvey has been recognized for the pioneering work he did the world over.

Jamaica 1. A major thoroughfare has been named for him in Kingston 2. The reproduction of his image on 50 cent coins 3. His statue has been erected in Lawrence Park St. Ann which houses the St. Ann Parish Library.

United States 1. An annual Marcus Garvey Festival 2. A major street in his name in Brooklyn, New York 3. A park and library in his name in Harlem, New York

Canada 1. Marcus Garvey Centre for Leadership & Education Jane-Finch area Toronto 2. Marcus Garvey Day celebrated annually in Toronto

Africa 1. A Major Street in Nairobi Kenya 2. A Library named after Garvey in Nigeria 3. Marcus Garvey‟s Bust along with that of Dr. Martin Luther King‟s are mounted at a park in Kenya

England 1. His Statue is mounted in Willesden Green Library, London 2. A small park in his name in West Kensington. London

Answer to an Anonymous Libel Written By Lord Archibald Hamilton in MDCCXVIII (1738)

This noteworthy bit of history has found its way to the right place, the National Library of Jamaica (NLJ). A short volume, it was handed over to the National Librarian & CEO of the library Mrs. Winsome Hudson by Minister of Sports, Youth & Culture Hon. Olivia Grange. This rare treasure was given to Minister Grange only moments before by Brendan Paddick Chairman of Columbus Communication the parent company of Flow Jamaica Ltd.

So what is the book about, why is it so rare? The full title of this volume is An Answer to an Anonymous Libel, Entitled, Articles Exhibited Against Lord Archibald Hamilton, Late Governor of Jamaica; with Sundry Depositions and Proofs Relating to the Same. As the title suggests this nearly 300 years old volume was written as an answer to charges that were brought against Lord Archibald Hamilton Governor of Jamaica 1711-1716.

A portrait of Lord Archibald Hamilton done by Thomas Murray, Lord Hamilton is the last governor of Jamaica to be pictured wearing a cuirass (breastplate). In this portrait his hand rests on a canon.

Who was Lord Archibald Hamilton? He was the fifth Governor of Jamaica and the first Scotsman to gain that office, his tenure as Governor was marked by a continued struggle between himself and the Assembly, which at times acted as a law unto itself. Hamilton left Jamaica in a somewhat disgraceful state having been arrested and taken back to England a prisoner.

Lord Archibald Hamilton was born on the 17th of February 1673 the 7th son of William 3rd Duke of Hamilton. At approximately 14 years of age Hamilton was sent to sea and by the time he was 20 he was appointed 1st lieutenant of the flagship, the Duke. Lord Archibald Hamilton‟s positions of responsibility changed significantly within the navy and at the time of his resignation in 1710 he was a Senior Captain.

Hamilton left the navy to take up his new position as Governor of Jamaica in 1711, arriving on the island on August 11th of that year. Hamilton‟s wrangling with the assembly began almost immediately as he found the “the Treasurer empty, the fortifications „ill controlled and out of repair,‟ and the King‟s House and public buildings in a ruinous condition.” In July 1716 Hamilton was arrested and sent back to England a prisoner, the charges against him were then unclear, suffice to say he seemed to have been involved in some amount of piracy. It seems that Hamilton unintentionally gave letters of marqueei to a pirate vessel. He maintained his innocence and hence the writing of the volume aforementioned. Hamilton maintained that charges were trumped up against him in England by one Dr. Samuel Page.

Prior to his arrest Hamilton had refused Dr. Page as Deputy Secretary of the island as Hamilton thought Page was unqualified for the post. Lord Hamilton was ordered by the King to accept Dr. Page, but Page was subsequently sent back to England by the Assembly as their agent with a fraudulent let-pass by the Assembly. He left with money irregularly raised and “without the concurrence of Governor or Council.” Furthermore it would seem that Hamilton also had an enemy in one Peter Heywood, as he Hamilton had removed Heywood from his seat as Chief Justice and in the Council. Heywood may also have been involved in the trumping up the charges against Hamilton.

Lord Archibald Hamilton was eventually cleared of the charges against him and in 1729 was appointed a Commissioner of executing the office of Lord High Admiral and the Governor of Greenwich Hospital Hamilton died on April 17th 1754.

i A Letter of Marquee is a government license authorizing a private vessel to attack and capture enemy vessel.

National Library of Jamaica Act, 2010… So What?

The Jamaica Gazette Extraordinary, Friday, December 31, 2010. No 52 D gave notice of Act 33 of 2010 entitled “An Act to make new provisions for the establishment and operation of the National Library of Jamaica and to provide for connected matters herewith.” What does all this mean? This is the first in a two part exposé that will seek to highlight the significance of the National Library of Jamaica (NLJ) its many and varied roles and responsibilities. To answer that question National Library of Jamaica Act, 2010… So What? a clear understanding of the unique roles of a National Library and the distinction between a national library and other types of libraries is required. A National Library is funded by a government and tasked with acquiring, preserving and making available for study and research national publications; published in the country as well as overseas publications about the country.

A national library could be considered the reference library for and about the nation, and indeed the distinction and purpose of NLJ amongst libraries in Jamaica might have been clearer, had our national library been named the Jamaica Reference Library. A National Library need not have the word national in its title, for example, British Library, the national library of England. A national library is distinct among library types because of its mandates which are not given to a public library or a special library or an academic library. The mandates / roles of The National Library of Jamaica Act, 2010 can be classified as:

A. Collector, cataloguer and protector of the nation’s cultural and intellectual patrimony as recorded on analogue and digital media. i. Collect and preserve for the National Library‟s collection, any document published in Jamaica, any document about Jamaica and any document published by a Jamaican. ii. Publish the Jamaica National Bibliography

B. Reference Library of and for the cultural and intellectual patrimony.

i. Promote the use of the National Library and facilitate access to any document in its collection; ii. Compile, publish, distribute or disseminate (or assist in so doing) any book, volume or part thereof, newspaper, sheet of paper or other documenti...which in the opinion of the National Library is of cultural, scientific, technological, historical, educational or national interest.

C. Leader in library sector development. i. Coordinate and facilitate the development of sectoral library networks; ii. Provide for cooperation between public libraries, school libraries, tertiary education institution libraries, private libraries, museums and the Jamaica Archives and Records Department; iii. Develop a National Bibliographic Database and facilitate access thereto; iv. Develop and promote national standards for the operation of libraries and the processing and delivery of information.

Apart from fulfilling its role as library leader and being a reference library the NLJ must also contribute to national development. How? This will be examined in part II.

National Library of Jamaica Act 2011

Sayings of Garvey

The Rt. Excellent Marcus Garvey, ON

What you do today that is worthwhile, inspires others to act at some future time.

The ends you serve that are selfish will take you no further than yourself; but the ends you serve that are for all in common, will take you even into eternity.

If you have no confidence in self you are twice defeated in the race of life. With confidence you have won even before you have started.

Never cringe before the stare of a man… Develop enough courage, character, boldness & self-confidence to look any man in the face & hold your ground.

Never make it a custom to carry distress on your face or in your eyes.

The greatest possession of a man is character. He can well afford to loose wealth, and even his health, because if he has character he can recover them.

Men who are in Ernest are not afraid of consequences.

To be prosperous in whatever we do is a sign of true wealth.

There is nothing in the world common to man that man cannot do.

Chance has never yet satisfied the hope of a people. Action, self reliance, the vision of self and the future have been the only means by which the oppressed have seen and realized the light of their own freedom.