History

History, United Kingdom, Guyana

John Edmonstone: from Guyana to the Galapagos | On this day

The science of taxidermy played an integral part in the formation of Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution. And it was John Edmonstone — born into slavery in Guyana before establishing himself as a well-respected free man in Scotland — who taught Darwin these critical skills. James Ferguson learns more about his story

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Music, History, People, Trinidad and Tobago

Soca gold — soca music turns 50 | Backstory

It’s been 50 years since soca music emerged in Trinidad & Tobago. Nigel A Campbell looks back at the birth and evolution of the music that’s become the soundtrack to Caribbean carnivals around the world — and continues to seek a commercial life beyond it

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History, People, Dominica

JR Ralph Casimir: Garvey’s disciple | Icon

Lennox Honychurch explores the life of the late Dominican activist JR Ralph Casimir — an early Pan-Africanist, Garveyite, and poet — who is also the subject of a powerful new biography

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History, People, Suriname

Anton de Kom: reclaiming “Papa de Kom” | On this day

Suriname’s great freedom fighter Anton de Kom was born 125 years ago. His work — including We Slaves of Suriname, which has recently been published in English — and his short, tragic life deserve to be much better known, writes James Ferguson

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Homepage Slider, History, Dominica

La Soye: Dominica’s town beneath the sand | Discover

Archaeologists in Dominica are unearthing an abandoned town which, explains Paul Crask, may fundamentally change our understanding of Dominica’s history

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Literature, History, People, United States, Jamaica

Claude McKay: the Black Bolshevik | On this day

James Ferguson profiles Jamaican poet and revolutionary Claude McKay, whose landmark collection Harlem Shadows was published a century ago

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History, People, Science, Barbados

Alain Bombard: the voluntary castaway | On this day

Seventy years ago, Alain Bombard journeyed from the Canaries to the Caribbean in a 15-foot dinghy to prove that man could survive on water, fish, and plankton alone. James Ferguson tells the tale

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Immerse, History, Jamaica, Trinidad and Tobago

Royal dissent | On this day

Like Trinidad & Tobago, Jamaica celebrates its 60th anniversary of independence in August and, as James Ferguson reports, is among the countries in the region likely soon to become a republic

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Funding provided by the 11th EDF Regional Private Sector Development Programme Direct Support Grants Programme.
The views expressed on this website are those of the the authors and do not reflect those of the Direct Support Grants Programme.

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