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
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
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
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
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