Jehoida Augustus McPherson (January 18, 1900 – 1963) was a Jamaican politician, representing the

Jamaica Labour Party The Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) is one of the two major political parties in Jamaica, the other being the People's National Party (PNP). While its name might suggest that it is a social democratic party (as is the case for "Labour" parties in seve ...

(JLP) in pre-independent Jamaica. He served as the first minister of education (1945-1949) and the first minister of labour (1953-1955).

Early life and education

McPherson was born on January 18, 1900, in Bellevue, Westmoreland. He was the son of Eleazer McPherson and his wife, Matilda. McPherson was educated at Kentucky Elementary School, Westmoreland and at Mico College.

Political career

McPherson was elected to the House of Representatives from the newly-created

Saint Thomas Western Saint Thomas Western is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Representatives of the Jamaican Parliament The Parliament of Jamaica is the legislative branch of the government of Jamaica. It consists of three elements: Th ...

constituency when he defeated Senator Randolph Burke of the People's National Party in the first general election held under adult suffrage on December 14, 1944. McPherson polled 5,990 votes to Burke's 4,044. In 1945, he was appointed to the Executive Council – as established by the new constitution - becoming Jamaica's first Minister of Education. McPherson served as a Member of the Executive Council until 1949. He was succeeded as minister of education by Joseph Zachariah Malcolm in 1950. He was again elected from the

constituency in the 1949 general election and served until 1955. In 1953 changes were again made to the constitution which provided for a Chief Minister and seven other Ministers from the House of Representatives.

Alexander Bustamante Sir William Alexander Clarke Bustamante (born William Alexander Clarke; 24 February 1884 – 6 August 1977) was a Jamaican politician and labour leader, who, in 1962, became the first prime minister of Jamaica. Early life and education He was ...

became the first Chief Minister and McPherson served as the first Minister of Labour (1953-1955) in the Bustamante-led Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) administration. McPherson also served on the Advisory Board Jamaica School of Agriculture, School Board St. Thomas (1945-1946), Jamaica Schools’ Commission (1945-1946), House Committee on Agriculture (1944), Jamaica Union of Teachers, Secretary of the Morant Bay Teachers’ Association and Secretary, Seaforth Branch Jamaica Agriculture Society, and Headmaster of several schools including Unity School, Westmoreland; as we as the Mount Vernon and Seaforth Schools, in St. Thomas.

Personal life and death

McPherson married Beryl Maud (née Clarke) on June 1, 1934. He died in the Princess Margaret Hospital,

Morant Bay Morant Bay is a town in southeastern Jamaica and the capital of the parish of St. Thomas, located about 25 miles east of Kingston, the capital. The parish has a population of 94,410. During the nineteenth century, the parish was an area of sug ...

, St. Thomas, in 1963 at the age of 63.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:McPherson, Jehoida 1900 births 1963 deaths Date of death missing People from Westmoreland Parish Government ministers of Jamaica Education ministers of Jamaica Jamaica Labour Party politicians Members of the House of Representatives of Jamaica

Early life and education

Political career

Personal life and death

See also

References