But first! Today Anansi and I are hanging out with Robyn Campbell and her lovely brood of children. The kids promised to show him around their farm and feed him, so I know he'll be happy.
Robyn has asked me a few questions. Hope you'll stop over at her place and read all about it!
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It may come as a surprise for some to learn that many people from the Caribbean have appeared on the world stage. Some names are immediately recognizable, others less so, but no less important.
Here are are few of our heroes.
Entertainers
Sidney Poitier - Is Bahamian, born 2 months premature while his parents were visiting Miami.
Bob Marley - Jamaica - Singer/songwriter who brought reggae to the world and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He also won the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award.
Billy Ocean - Trinidad - Singer
Jimmy Cliff - Jamaica - Singer/songwriter/actor was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He also won a Grammy for best raggae album in 2013.
The Mighty Sparrow - Grenada/Trinidad - Calypsonian - If you visit his website, take a look at the humongous number of awards he has won and been given. He's a wonderful human being.
Congo Man is my favorite of his songs. Full of humor and innuendo.
Jon Lucien - born on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, and raised on St. Thomas he was a Jazz singer with a beautiful voice who also played bass. I knew him...
The Arts
Derek Walcott - St. Lucia won the Nobel Prize for Literature
Tregensza Roach - born on St. Lucia is a journalist and poet who won the Pulitzer Prize for a series of articles he wrote for the St. Thomas Daily News.
Wayne James - St. Croix, designed a monument for the Riverbank State Park in Harlem in memory of The Middle Passage.
Science and Medicine
Evans Harrigan - of the US Virgin Islands is our very own rocket scientist.
Roy L. Schneider - St. Thomas - was given the Bronze Star for his service in Viet Nam, was also the Governor of the USVI, and a medical doctor who has written textbooks on oncology.
Politics and the Military
Melvin H. Evans - St. Croix - was the first elected governor in the USVI he was also the first black governor elected in the United States.
Terrence Todman - Born on St. Thomas in 1926, he was a diplomat and ambassador (at different times) to Chad, Denmark, Argentina and Spain.
Henry E. Rohlsen- St. Croix, was a Tuskegee Airman. The airport on St. Croix is named after him.
Sports
Tim Duncan - St. Croix - Anybody who knows anything about basketball knows about Tim and the San Antonio Spurs.
Emile Griffith - St. Thomas - Boxer, winner of the New York Golden Gloves, a welterweight and middle weight world champion who had a troubled career and life.
Julian Jackson - USVI, boxer, three time world champion in middle and junior middle weight divisions.
Alvin McBean - St. Thomas - Played major league baseball with the Pittsburgh Pirates, the San Diego Dodgers and the Los Angeles Dodgers
Reynaldo Turnbull - St. Thomas - Was a linebacker and defensive-end for the New Orleans Saints and was a Pro-Bowl selection.
Sammy Sosa - Dominican Republic, well know for his power house hitting, played with the Texas Rangers, the White Sox and the Cubs.
Roberto Clemente - Puerto Rico was the first Hispanic (he was also black) to win a World Series and MVP in 1971. He also won a National League MVP in 1966 and is in the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Which of these people have you heard of?
Sidney Pointier is an awesome actor.
ReplyDeleteOff to visit Robyn!
Loved Sidney Pointier movies. And your interview was awesome. Loved learning where you got the idea for your book.
ReplyDeleteThe entertainers and sports people are the ones I've heard about mostly. Sports due to my husband's love of them. :-)
ReplyDeleteInteresting history of artists and I do love the music.
ReplyDeleteThis may sound weird to you but I have a friend named Diane and you and I have only met through posting in blogs (of course). I get the vibes of the two of you mixed up. When I think of you, I picture Diane.
When I was having jazz classes. Diane was a student and just a few weeks ago I ran across a tape of a Christmas program we had performed. It was very informal and inbetween changes of costumes, the ones who had changed came out and danced to Christmas music. I recall Diane dancing to a reggae Christmas piece and just now when you talked about the dancing, I could see you dancing in the style of Diane. It is all very strange but who knows what connections people have without knowing it.
I've heard of a lot of these people. Michael Thompson from the Bahamas won two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers too.
ReplyDeleteAnd I have you and Anansi And Friends as the Author of the Week. Good luck with everything!
Wow! A lot of Caribbean notables! I'd forgotten Sidney P. was born in the Bahamas. Great list.
ReplyDeleteI've heard of a good many of these folks. My granddaughter was named Marley because her parents like Bob Marley's music.
ReplyDeleteLee
Tossing It Out
A lot of names I recognize. I'm off to visit Robyn! :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a talented list! Some pretty awesome people there!
ReplyDeleteI hadn't heard of any of the sportsmen listed, but that doesn't surprise me since I don't follow any kind of sports ;)
ReplyDeleteI didn't know there were so many famous people from the Bahamas! And congratualations on your book! I love Anansi stories (even though I'm not a fan of spiders). Can't wait to check yours out. :)
ReplyDeleteHeyya pal, so good to have you over. Though, I was hoping for more of a turnout. I'm telling everyone about that cute spider dude.:-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great list. I didn't know the origins of some of these fine people.
ReplyDeleteOf course Tim Duncan! Go Spurs :)
ReplyDeleteHey Bish,
ReplyDeleteI have heard of most of them. Although, I thought that Bob Marley was related to Jacob Marley. Silly me.
Gary :)
I stopped by Robyn's and absolutely loved the interview. Amazing! So fun to learn more about you and your writing. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing this list. There are so many people on the list that I have heard of, but just as many that are new to me and I will have to check out. Thanks!
~Jess
Interesting info, Bish. Didn't know about the sporting people and some in the arts.
ReplyDeleteLove Congo Man too. It's one of my favourites from the Mighty Sparrow as well. I think that's one of the things that the latest crop of dee jays in Jamaica are missing. The ability to full your lyrics with innuendo while not crossing the line into outright vulgarity.
It is amazing how many doors one man had opened for many.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE Sidney Poitier. "They call me Mister Tibbs!"
ReplyDelete