The following is a list of notable people from

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...

. The list includes some non-resident Jamaicans who were born in Jamaica and also people of predominantly Jamaican heritage.

Artists

* Carl Abrahams, painter * Hope Brooks, painter * John Dunkley, painter and sculptor *

Gloria Escoffery Gloria Escoffery OD (22 December 1923 – 24 April 2002) was a Jamaican painter, poet and art critic active in the 1940s and 1950s. Biography Born in Gayle, Saint Mary Parish, Jamaica, the youngest of three children of Dr. William T. Escoffery, ...

, painter and art critic *

Laura Facey Laura Facey CD (born 31 May 1954) is a Jamaican contemporary artist. She is best known for the monumental sculpture ''Redemption Song'' (2003), which serves as Jamaica's national monument to the Emancipation from Slavery. Biography Laura Face ...

, sculptor and installation artist * Christopher González, painter and sculptor *

Ras Daniel Heartman Ras Daniel Heartman (7 January 1942 – 1990),Howard Campbell"Trailblazing Ras Daniel Heartman" ''Jamaica Observer'', 31 August 2012. born Lloyd George Roberts, was a Jamaican artist and religious leader. He is considered to be one of the most r ...

, artist *

Albert Huie Albert Huie (31 December 1920 – 31 January 2010) was a Jamaican painter. Early life and education Born in Falmouth, Trelawny Parish, Jamaica, Huie moved to Kingston when he was 16 years old;

, painter * George "Fowokan" Kelly, sculptor *

Edna Manley Edna Swithenbank Manley, Jamaican Order of Merit, OM (28 February 1900 – 2 February 1987) is considered one of the most important artists and arts educators in Jamaica. She was known primarily as a sculptor although her oeuvre included signi ...

, painter, sculptor and arts educator *

Alvin Marriott Alvin Tolman Marriott (29 December 1902 – 20 September 1992) was a Jamaican sculptor. He worked in Europe, North and Central America, and Jamaica. Many of his carvings and statues are on public display and in administrative buildings in Jama ...

, sculptor *

Ronald Moody Ronald Moody (12 August 1900 – 6 February 1984) was a Jamaican-born sculptor, specialising in wood carvings. His work features in collections including the National Portrait Gallery and Tate Britain in London, as well as the National Gallery ...

, sculptor; Moody crater on Mercury was named after him *

Keith Anthony Morrison Keith Anthony Morrison, Commander of Distinction (C.D.), born May 20, 1942),"Resume"
Keith Anthony Morrison. is a

, painter, printmaker, educator, critic, curator and administrator * Petrona Morrison, sculptor and media artist * Ebony G. Patterson, visual artist and educator * David Pottinger, painter *

Mallica Reynolds Mallica Reynolds, OD (10 February 1911 – 24 February 1989), better known by the adopted name "Kapo", was a Jamaican artist and religious leader. Considered one of the greatest artists in Jamaica's "Intuitives" artistic movement, Kapo's religiou ...

, painter and sculptor *

Margaret Rose Vendryes Margaret Rose Vendryes (March 16, 1955 – March 29, 2022) was a visual artist, curator, and art historian based in New York City, New York. Early life and education Vendryes was born on March 16, 1955, in Kingston, Jamaica. She began her studie ...

, multimedia artist *

Barrington Watson Basil Barrington Watson (9 January 1931 – 26 January 2016) was a Jamaican painter. Biography Born in 1931 January 9th in Lucea, Barrington Watson made his original mark in Jamaica as a football player for Kingston College. However, he ultima ...

, painter *

Basil Watson Basil Watson, CD (born 1958), is a Jamaican sculptor. He is the son of painter Barrington Watson,Housen, Claudine.'Balance' on the Beach", ''The Jamaica Gleaner'', 26 November 2006. and the brother of sculptor Raymond Watson.

, painter and sculptor *

Donnette Zacca Donnette Ingrid Zacca (born May 2, 1957) is a Jamaican fine art photographer, lecturer, and artist. ''The Jamaican Magazine'' and the National Gallery of Jamaica have listed her among the best photographers in the nation. She has exhibited at the ...

, fine arts photographer, lecturer, and artist

Beauty contest winners

Cindy Breakspeare Cynthia Jean Cameron Breakspeare (born October 24, 1954) is a Canadian- Jamaican jazz singer, musician and beauty queen. Breakspeare was crowned Miss World 1976. Breakspeare is the mother of reggae musician Damian Marley, through her relationship ...

, Miss World 1976 *

Carole Joan Crawford Carole Joan Crawford (born 13 February 1943) is a Jamaican model and beauty queen who won the Miss World contest in 1963, She was also the first winning delegate from both Jamaica and the Caribbean to have won Miss World. At the time of her ...

, Miss World 1965 *

Lisa Hanna Lisa Rene Shanti Hanna (born August 20, 1975) is a Jamaican politician and beauty queen who was crowned Miss World 1993, becoming the third Jamaican to win the title. A member of the opposition People's National Party, Hanna currently serves a ...

, Miss World 1993, politician *

Toni-Ann Singh Toni-Ann Singh (born February 1996) is a Jamaican beauty queen who won Miss World 2019. She was previously crowned Miss Jamaica World 2019 and is the fourth woman from Jamaica to win Miss World. She is also the longest-reigning Miss World in the ...

, Miss World 2019

Business and Law

Alexander Aikman Alexander Aikman (23 June 1755 – 6 July 1838) was a Scottish printer, newspaper publisher, planter, and member of Jamaica's House of Assembly. From 1805 to 1825, he was a member of the House of Assembly as the representative of Saint George p ...

, printer, publisher, and landowner *

Chris Blackwell Christopher Percy Gordon Blackwell (born 22 June 1937) is an English businessman and former record producer, and the founder of Island Records, which has been called "one of Britain's great independent labels". According to the Rock and Roll ...

, president and CEO of Island Records and Palm Pictures, NYC *

Morris Cargill Morris Cargill CD (10 June 1914 – 8 April 2000, Kingston) was a Jamaican lawyer, businessman, planter, journalist and novelist. He was also a columnist for the Jamaican Gleaner. Life Educated at Munro College, a prestigious Jamaican second ...

, lawyer and businessman * G. Raymond Chang, co-founder of

CI Financial CI Financial is the largest investment management firm by assets under management in Canada. Based in Toronto, Ontario, it offers investment management and wealth management services targeted to high net worth retail investors, as well as broker ...

and the third chancellor of

Ryerson University Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU or Toronto Met) is a public research university located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The university's core campus is situated within the Garden District, although it also operates facilities elsewhere in Tor ...

* Alexandra Chong, founder and CEO of Jacana * Gloria Cumper, barrister, the first black woman to study at the

University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , established = , other_name = The Chancellor, Masters and Schola ...

* Jak Beula Dodd, entrepreneur and inventor of the board game Nubian Jak *

Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones Wilfred Emmanuel-Jones (born 7 November 1957) is a British businessman, farmer, and founder of "The Black Farmer" range of food products. He was an unsuccessful Conservative Party (UK), Conservative Party candidate for the Chippenham (UK Parliam ...

, businessman, farmer and founder of "The Black Farmer" range of food products * Renatha Francis, circuit Judge in Palm Beach County, Florida *

Claudia L. Gordon Claudia L. Gordon is the first Hearing loss, deaf African American, Black female attorney in the United States and the first deaf graduate of American University's law school. She currently works as a Senior Accessibility Strategy Partner at T-Mo ...

, lawyer, the first deaf black female attorney in the United States *

GraceKennedy Limited Grace and Grace Foods are brand names of GraceKennedy Limited, a multinational entity involved in food processing and distribution, banking and finance, insurance and remittance services, and building materials retailing. It was established in 192 ...

* Ephraim and Lowell Hawthorne, founders of Golden Krust Caribbean Bakery *

Joseph John Issa Joseph John Issa, known as Joe or Joey Issa (born 1 December 1965), is a Jamaican businessman and philanthropist. He is best known as the founder of Cool Group, which comprises over 50 companies. At age 30, Issa's first business venture was a pe ...

, founder of Cool Group *

Michael Lee-Chin Michael Lee-Chin, (born 3 January 1951) is a Jamaican-Canadian billionaire businessman, and philanthropist and the chairman and CEO of Portland Holdings Inc, a privately held investment company in Ontario, Canada. Lee-Chin was appointed to th ...

, Chairman/CEO of AIC Limited, Chairman of NCB Jamaica * Henry Lowe, owns and manages a variety of businesses in the health industry * Val McCalla, accountant and media entrepreneur. He is the founder of ''The Voice'', a

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

weekly newspaper aimed at the Britain's black community * Caroline Newman, entrepreneur and the first black solicitor to be elected to the Council of the

Law Society of England and Wales The Law Society of England and Wales (officially The Law Society) is the professional association that represents solicitors for the jurisdiction of England and Wales. It provides services and support to practising and training solicitors, as ...

* Philip Ernest Housden Pike, barrister and judge who served as the second Chief Justice of Borneo *

Heather Rabbatts Dame Heather Victoria Rabbatts, DBE (born 6 December 1955) is a Jamaican-born British solicitor, businesswoman, and broadcaster, who rose to prominence as Chief executive of the London Borough of Lambeth, the youngest council chief in the UK. She ...

, businesswoman, solicitor and broadcaster. She became the youngest council chief in the UK and was the first ethnic minority person to serve as a Football Association director * Patrick Lipton Robinson, member of the

International Court of Justice The International Court of Justice (ICJ; french: Cour internationale de justice, links=no; ), sometimes known as the World Court, is one of the six principal organs of the United Nations (UN). It settles disputes between states in accordanc ...

Tracy Robinson Tracy Robinson may refer to: Business * Tracy A. Robinson - CEO of Canadian National Railway Academia * Tracy S. Robinson - attorney and senior lecturer at the University of the West Indies Media * Tracy Robinson (Emmerdale) – Fictional ch ...

, lawyer and lecturer in the Faculty of Law at the University of the West Indies *

Lascelles Robotham Sir Lascelles Lister Robotham (22 October 1923 – 19 February 1996) was a Jamaican lawyer and judge who worked in a number of Commonwealth countries in the Caribbean. He was Chief Justice of the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court from 1984 until ...

, lawyer and Chief Justice of the

Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court The Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court (ECSC) is a superior court of record for the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), including six independent states: Antigua and Barbuda, the Commonwealth of Dominica, Grenada, Saint Kitts and Ne ...

* Levi Roots, Chairman of

Reggae Reggae Sauce Reggae Reggae Sauce is a barbecue sauce that incorporates Jamaican jerk spice, popularised by creator Levi Roots' appearance on BBC Two's ''Dragons' Den'', on which he used a song to sell his product. Dragons' Den investor Peter Jones has sinc ...

David P. Rowe David Patrick Rowe (May 8, 1959 – January 12, 2018) was a Jamaican-American lawyer, professor, media commentator, corruption watchdog, Commonwealth Caribbean country risk analyst and pioneer in the area of transnational law. He has spent most of ...

, lawyer *Jewel Scott, the first woman and first Caribbean-American District Attorney for Clayton County * Adam Stewart * Gordon "Butch" Stewart * George Stiebel, Jamaican trader and entrepreneur who became Jamaica's first black millionaire *

Tom Tavares-Finson Tom Tavares-Finson (born 7 July 1953) is a Jamaican attorney-at-law and President of the Senate of Jamaica. Biography Tavares-Finson was born in Kingston, Jamaica.. He was educated at the Jamaica College; McMaster University (Ontario, Canada) ...

, lawyer *

Gail Vaz-Oxlade Gail Vaz-Oxlade (born June 18, 1959) is a Jamaican-Canadian financial writer and television personality who lives in Brighton, Ontario, Canada. Vaz-Oxlade hosts the Canadian television series ''Til Debt Do Us Part'', ''Princess'' and, most recent ...

, financial adviser, TV personality *Walkerswood Caribbean Foods * James S. Watson, one of the first Black Americans elected as a judge in the state of New York. * Dame Sharon White, businesswoman and

Second Permanent Secretary A permanent secretary (also known as a principal secretary) is the most senior civil servant of a department or ministry charged with running the department or ministry's day-to-day activities. Permanent secretaries are the non-political civil s ...

HM Treasury His Majesty's Treasury (HM Treasury), occasionally referred to as the Exchequer, or more informally the Treasury, is a department of His Majesty's Government responsible for developing and executing the government's public finance policy and ...

from 2013 to 2015. She was the first black person, and the second woman, to become a Permanent Secretary at the UK HM Treasury * Damian Williams, the first

African-American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an Race and ethnicity in the United States, ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American ...

U.S. attorney for the

Southern District of New York The United States District Court for the Southern District of New York (in case citations, S.D.N.Y.) is a federal trial court whose geographic jurisdiction encompasses eight counties of New York State. Two of these are in New York City: New ...

Groups

Black Uhuru Black Uhuru is a Jamaican reggae group formed in 1972, initially as Uhuru ( Swahili for 'freedom'). The group has undergone several line-up changes over the years, with Derrick "Duckie" Simpson as the mainstay. They had their most successful per ...

Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pres ...

winners *

Bob Marley and the Wailers Bob Marley and the Wailers (previously known as The Wailers, and prior to that The Wailing Rudeboys, The Wailing Wailers and The Teenagers) were a Jamaican ska, rocksteady and reggae band. The founding members, in 1963, were Bob Marley (Robert ...

Byron Lee and the Dragonaires Byron Lee and the Dragonaires (known as Byron Lee's Dragonaires after Lee's death and now The Dragonaires) are a Jamaican ska, calypso and soca band. The band played a crucial pioneering role in bringing Caribbean music to the world. Byron ...

Culture Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups.Tyl ...

* Inner Circle *

Morgan Heritage Morgan Heritage is a Grammy-winning Jamaican reggae band formed in 1994 by five children of reggae artist Denroy Morgan, namely Peter "Peetah" Morgan, Una Morgan, Roy "Gramps" Morgan, Nakhamyah "Lukes" Morgan, and Memmalatel "Mr. Mojo" Morgan. ...

, Grammy Award winners * The Pioneers *

Skatalites The Skatalites are a ska band from Jamaica. They played initially between 1963 and 1965, and recorded many of their best known songs in the period, including " Guns of Navarone." They also played on records by Prince Buster and backed many oth ...

, Ska Band * Sly and Robbie *

Third World The term "Third World" arose during the Cold War to define countries that remained non-aligned with either NATO or the Warsaw Pact. The United States, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Western European nations and their allies represented the " First ...

T.O.K. T.O.K. were a dancehall reggae group from Kingston, Jamaica. The group consisted of Alistaire "Alex" McCalla, Roshaun "Bay-C" Clarke, Craig "Craigy T" Thompson, and Xavier "Flexx" Davidson.Kenner, Rob (2005)Boomshots, ''Vibe'', August 2005, ...

, a crew of deejays *

Toots and the Maytals The Maytals, known from 1972 to 2020 as Toots and the Maytals, are a Jamaican musical group, one of the best known ska and rocksteady vocal groups. The Maytals were formed in the early 1960s and were key figures in popularizing reggae music. ...

, double Grammy Award Winners

Journalists, poets and writers

* Opal Palmer Adisa, writer *

Louisa Wells Aikman Louisa Wells Aikman, also known as Louisa Susannah Aikman, (born Louisa Susannah Wells; October 1755 – November 1831) was a British author and music score collector. She is best known for her book, ''The journal of a voyage from Charleston, S.C., ...

, writer * Gwyneth Barber Wood, poet *

Edward Baugh Edward Alston Cecil Baugh (born 10 January 1936) is a Jamaican poet and scholar, recognised as an authority on the work of Derek Walcott, whose ''Selected Poems'' (2007) Baugh edited, having in 1978 authored the first book-length study of the ...

, poet *

Lindsay Barrett Carlton Lindsay Barrett (born 15 September 1941), also known as Eseoghene, is a Jamaican-born poet, novelist, essayist, playwright, journalist and photographer, whose work has interacted with the Caribbean Artists Movement in the UK, the Black ...

, writer, playwright, journalist *

Louise Bennett-Coverley Louise Simone Bennett-Coverley or Miss Lou (7 September 1919 – 26 July 2006), was a Jamaican poet, folklorist, writer, and educator. Writing and performing her poems in Jamaican Patois or Creole, Bennett worked to preserve the practice of p ...

, poet *

Evon Blake Eyrell Blake, known as Evon Blake (7 February 1906 - 7 November 1988), was a Jamaican journalist who challenged the racial status quo in colonial Jamaica. Born in Salem, in Clarendon Parish to Cottilda and Joseph Blake, a farmer, he studied journ ...

, journalist * Barbara Blake Hannah, author and journalist. She was the first black person to be an on-camera reporter and interviewer on British television * Jean "Binta" Breeze, poet *

Erna Brodber Erna Brodber (born 20 April 1940) is a Jamaican writer, sociologist and social activist. She is the sister of writer Velma Pollard. Biography Born in the farming village of Woodside, Saint Mary Parish, Jamaica, she gained a B.A. from the Unive ...

, novelist * Charles Hopel Brown, writer, author *

Lady Colin Campbell Georgia Arianna, Lady Colin Campbell (''née'' Ziadie, born 17 August 1949), also known as Lady C, is a British Jamaican author, socialite, and television personality who has published seven books about the British royal family. They include ...

, writer, socialite *

, journalist * Margaret Cezair-Thompson, novelist * Colin Channer, novelist, co-founder of Calabash *

Staceyann Chin Staceyann Chin (born December 25, 1972) is a spoken-word poet, performing artist and LGBT rights political activist. Her work has been published in ''The New York Times'', ''The Washington Post'', and the ''Pittsburgh Daily'', and has been featu ...

, poet and writer *

Michelle Cliff Michelle Carla Cliff (2 November 1946 – 12 June 2016) was a Jamaican-American author whose notable works included ''Abeng'' (1985), '' No Telephone to Heaven'' (1987), and ''Free Enterprise'' (2004). In addition to novels, Cliff also wrote ...

, writer * Aston Cooke, playwright, artistic director *

Carolyn Cooper Carolyn Cooper CD (born 20 November 1950) is a Jamaican author, essayist and literary scholar. She is a former professor of Literary and Cultural Studies at the University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica. From 1975 to 1980, she was an assist ...

, writer and cultural theorist * Christine Craig, poet and short story writer * Patricia Cumper, playwright *

Kwame Dawes Kwame Senu Neville Dawes (born 28 July 1962) is a Ghanaian poet, actor, editor, critic, musician, and former Louis Frye Scudder Professor of Liberal Arts at the University of South Carolina. He is now Professor of English at the University of N ...

, Ghana-born writer, co-founder of Calabash *

Jean D'Costa Jean Constance D'Costa (born 13 January 1937) is a Jamaican children's novelist, linguist, and professor emeritus. Her novels have been praised for their use of both Jamaican Creole and Standard English. Early life and education Jean Constance ...

, professor, linguist, and children's novelist *

Ferdinand Dennis Ferdinand Dennis (born 18 March 1956)"Ferdinand Dennis"
,

...

, writer, broadcaster, journalist and lecturer *

Nicole Dennis-Benn Nicole Dennis-Benn (born 1982) is a Jamaican novelist. She is known for her 2016 debut novel, ''Here Comes the Sun'', which was named a "Best Book of the year" by ''The New York Times'', and for her best-selling novel, ''Patsy'', acclaimed by ''Ti ...

, novelist *

John Figueroa John Joseph Maria Figueroa (4 August 1920 – 5 March 1999) was a Jamaican poet and educator.Pamela Beshoff"Obituary: John Figueroa" ''The Independent'', 11 March 1999. He played a significant role in the development of Anglophone Caribbean lite ...

, poet *

Ryan Fraser Ryan Fraser (born 24 February 1994) is a Scottish professional footballer who plays as a winger for Premier League club Newcastle United and the Scotland national team. He has previously played for Aberdeen, AFC Bournemouth and Ipswich Town. ...

, writer *

Malcolm Gladwell Malcolm Timothy Gladwell (born 3 September 1963) is an English-born Canadian journalist, author, and public speaker. He has been a staff writer for ''The New Yorker'' since 1996. He has published seven books: '' The Tipping Point: How Little ...

, writer, journalist * Thomas Glave, Bronx-born writer *

Lorna Goodison Lorna Gaye Goodison CD (born 1 August 1947)Debo ...

, writer *

Hubert Henry Harrison Hubert Henry Harrison (April 27, 1883 – December 17, 1927) was a West Indian-American writer, orator, educator, critic, race and class conscious political activist, and radical internationalist based in Harlem, New York. He was described by a ...

, writer, philosopher *

Victor Headley Victor Headley (born 1959) is a Jamaican-born British author. He is the author of the bestselling novel ''Yardie'' (1992), which gained cult status upon publication and "heralded a new wave of black British pulp fiction". Other books by Headley in ...

, author * John Hearne, novelist *

Perry Henzell Perry Henzell (7 March 1936 – 30 November 2006) was a Jamaican director. He directed the first Jamaican feature film, ''The Harder They Come'' (1972), co-written by Trevor D. Rhone and starring Jimmy Cliff. Life and career Henzell, whos ...

, writer, director * Marlon James, novelist *

Vere Johns Joseph Vere Everette Johns (28 November 1893–10 September 1966

, writer, broadcaster, actor *

Linton Kwesi Johnson Linton Kwesi Johnson (born 24 August 1952), also known as LKJ, is a Jamaica-born, British-based dub poet and activist. In 2002 he became the second living poet, and the only black one, to be published in the Penguin Modern Classics series. His p ...

, dub poet *

Roger Mais Roger Mais (; 11 August 1905 – 21 June 1955) was a Jamaican journalist, novelist, poet, and playwright. He was born to a middle-class family in Kingston, Jamaica. By 1951, he had won ten first prizes in West Indian literary competitions.Ha ...

, novelist * Louis Marriott, playwright, actor, director, journalist *

Una Marson Una Maud Victoria Marson (6 February 1905 – 6 May 1965) was a Jamaican feminist, activist and writer, producing poems, plays and radio programmes. She travelled to London in 1932 and became the first black woman to be employed by the BBC d ...

, writer, broadcaster * Claude McKay, writer *

Alecia McKenzie Alecia McKenzie (born Kingston, Jamaica) is a Jamaican writer and journalist. Life She studied at Alpha Academy in Kingston, Troy University in Alabama, and Columbia University in New York, focusing on languages, art and journalism. At Troy ...

, writer * Anthony McNeill, poet * Brian Meeks, novelist *

Kei Miller Kei Miller (born 24 October 1978) is a Jamaican poet, fiction writer, essayist and blogger. He is also a professor of creative writing.Pamela Mordecai, poet *

Mervyn Morris Mervyn Eustace Morris OM (born 21 February 1937) is a poet and professor emeritus at the University of the West Indies, Mona, Jamaica. According to educator Ralph Thompson, "In addition to his poetry, which has ranked him among the top West In ...

, poet *

Mutabaruka Allan Hope (born 1952), better known as Mutabaruka, is a Jamaican Rastafari dub poet, musician, actor, educator, and talk-show host, who developed two of Jamaica's most popular radio programmes, ''The Cutting Edge'' and ''Steppin' Razor''. His ...

, poet *

Oku Onuora Oku Nagba Ozala Onuora (born Orlando Wong, 9 March 1952), known as the "father of Jamaican dub poetry" is a Jamaican dub poet and performer. Biography Orlando Wong was born in Kingston, Jamaica, in 1952.Habekost, Christian (1993) ''Verbal Ridd ...

, writer *

Geoffrey Philp Geoffrey Philp (born 1958) is a Jamaican poet, novelist, and playwright. Philp used to reside in Jamaica, where he was born and attended Jamaica College, but he relocated in 1979 to Miami, Florida. He is the author of the novel ''Benjamin, My ...

, writer * Patricia Powell, novelist *

Claudia Rankine Claudia Rankine (; born September 4, 1963) is an American poet, essayist, playwright and the editor of several anthologies. She is the author of five volumes of poetry, two plays and various essays. Her book of poetry, '' Citizen: An American L ...

, poet *

Barry Reckord Barrington John Reckord (19 November 1926 – 20 December 2011), known as Barry Reckord, was a Jamaican playwright, one of the earliest Caribbean writers to make a contribution to theatre in Britain. His brother was the actor and director Lloyd ...

, playwright * Victor Stafford Reid, writer *

Leone Ross Leone Ross (born 26 June 1969, Coventry, England) is a British novelist, short story writer, editor, journalist and academic, who is of Jamaican and Scottish ancestry. Biography Early years and education Leone Ross was born in Coventry, England, ...

, novelist, editor, short story writer, journalist, academic * Andrew Salkey, writer * Dennis Scott, poet and playwright * Olive Senior, writer * Malachi Smith, poet *

Pamela Colman Smith Pamela Colman Smith (16 February 1878 – 18 September 1951), nicknamed "Pixie", was a British artist, illustrator, writer, publisher, and occultist. She is best-known for illustrating the Rider–Waite tarot deck (also called the Rider–Wait ...

, artist and writer *

Michael Thelwell Ekwueme Michael Thelwell (born Michael Miles Thelwell; 25 July 1939) is a Jamaican novelist, essayist, professor and civil rights activist. He was in 1970 founding chairman of the Department of Afro-American Studies at the University of Massach ...

, writer * Vivian Virtue, poet *

Sylvia Wynter ''The Honourable'' Sylvia Wynter, O.J. ( Holguín, Cuba, 11 May 1928) is a Jamaican novelist, /sup> dramatist, /sup> critic, philosopher, and essayist. /sup> Her work combines insights from the natural sciences, the humanities, art, and anti-c ...

, writer * Kerry Young, author

Models

Tyson Beckford Tyson Beckford (born December 19, 1970) is an American model and actor best known as a Ralph Lauren Polo model. He was also the host of both seasons of the Bravo program '' Make Me a Supermodel''. Beckford has been described as one of the most ...

, model * Carla Campbell, model *

Naomi Campbell Naomi Elaine Campbell (born 22 May 1970) is an English model, actress, singer, and businesswoman. She began her career at the age of 15, and established herself amongst the most recognisable and in-demand models of the past four decades. Cam ...

, model *

Winnie Harlow Chantelle Whitney Brown-Young (born July 27, 1994), known professionally as Winnie Harlow, is a Canadian fashion model and public spokesperson on the skin condition vitiligo. She gained prominence in 2014 as a contestant on the 21st cycle of th ...

, model *

Grace Jones Grace Beverly Jones (born 19 May 1948) is a model, singer and actress. Born in Jamaica, she and her family moved to Syracuse, New York, when she was a teenager. Jones began her modelling career in New York state, then in Paris, working for ...

, model, musician, actress *

Venice Kong The following women have appeared in the American or Playboy#International editions, international edition of ''Playboy'' magazine as Playmate of the Month. Those who were also named List of Playboy Playmates of the Year, Playmate of the Year are ...

, ''Playboy'' playmate *

Stacey McKenzie Stacey McKenzie (born March 27, 1977) is a Jamaican-born Canadian model, runway coach, motivational speaker, and television personality. McKenzie has been a judge on the reality television shows ''America's Next Top Model'', ''Canada's Next Top Mod ...

, supermodel, actress and model coach *

Rachel Stuart Rachel Stuart (born 1972) is a Jamaican-Canadian model, actress and television personality. Personal life Stuart attended Mohawk College. Rachel Stuart is married to Paxton Baker, former vice president of BET Digital Networks and has three childr ...

, model, television personality * Karin Taylor, former ''Playboy'' model

Musicians, actors and film-makers

Aidonia Aidonia (born Sheldon Lawrence, 6 April 1981) is a Jamaican dancehall and reggae artist from Kingston, Jamaica. He became active in early 2004, and has released albums on the record labels, VP Records VP Records is an independent Caribbean ...

, dancehall, rap

deejay A disc jockey, more commonly abbreviated as DJ, is a person who plays recorded music for an audience. Types of DJs include radio DJs (who host programs on music radio stations), club DJs (who work at a nightclub or music festival), mobile D ...

DJ Akademiks Livingston Allen (born May 17, 1991), more commonly known as DJ Akademiks or simply Akademiks, is a Jamaican-American podcaster, media personality and YouTuber. DJ Akademiks rose to fame for his YouTube channel which covers the latest news in ...

, blogger * Alaine, singer *

Monty Alexander Montgomery Bernard "Monty" Alexander (born 6 June 1944) is a Jamaican jazz pianist. His playing has a Caribbean influence and bright swinging feeling, with a strong vocabulary of bebop jazz and blues rooted melodies. He was influenced by Louis ...

, jazz pianist and composer *

Cherine Anderson Cherine Tanya Anderson (born 25 September 1984, Rockfort, East Kingston, Jamaica) is a Jamaican actress and dancehall/reggae vocalist. Biography Anderson's acting career began in the film '' Dancehall Queen'' (1997), as Marcia's pressured, t ...

, singer, actress, director * Esther Anderson, actress, film-maker, photographer *

Buju Banton Mark Anthony Myrie (born 15 July 1973),Larkin, Colin (1998) "The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae", Virgin Books, professionally known by his stage name Buju Banton, is a Jamaican reggae dancehall musician. He is considered to be one of the most s ...

, reggae singer * Roxanne Beckford, actress and producer * Beenie Man, deejay; Grammy winner *

Thom Bell Thomas Randolph Bell (January 27th, 1943 – December 22, 2022) was an American singer, songwriter, record producer, arranger, pianist, and composer known as one of the creators of Philadelphia soul in the 1970s. He found success as a producer ...

, musician, singer-songwriter, arranger and producer * Barbara Blake Hannah, film-maker, festival organiser *

Bounty Killer Rodney Basil Price (born 12 June 1972), known as Bounty Killer, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall deejay. AllMusic describes him as "one of the most aggressive dancehall stars of the '90s, a street-tough rude boy with an unrepentant flair ...

, reggae musician * Carl Bradshaw, actor, film producer *

Yvonne Brewster Yvonne Jones Brewster (née Clarke; born 7 October 1938) is a Jamaican actress, theatre director and businesswoman, known for her role as Ruth Harding in the BBC television soap opera '' Doctors''. She co-founded the theatre companies Talawa ...

, actress, theatre director *

Brigadier Jerry Robert Russell (born 28 September 1957), better known by the stage name Brigadier Jerry is a Jamaican dancehall reggae deejay known for his "cultural" lyrics. Biography Brigadier Jerry, often nicknamed "Briggy" and "The General", was born in ...

, reggae musician, dancehall deejay *

Dennis Brown Dennis Emmanuel Brown CD (1 February 1957 – 1 July 1999) was a Jamaican reggae singer. During his prolific career, which began in the late 1960s when he was aged eleven, he recorded more than 75 albums and was one of the major stars of lo ...

, reggae singer *

Burning Spear Winston Rodney OD (born 1 March 1945), better known by the stage name Burning Spear, is a Jamaican roots reggae singer-songwriter, vocalist and musician. Burning Spear is a Rastafarian and one of the most influential and long-standing roots ...

, real name Winston Rodney, reggae musician *

Busy Signal Reanno Devon Gordon (born 24 January 1979), better known by his stage name Busy Signal, is a Jamaican dancehall reggae artist. Biography Reanno Devon Gordon p/k/a Busy Signal was born in Saint Ann Parish,Johnson, Carolyn (2006)A Very Busy Chi ...

, dancehall and reggae musician deejay *

Canibus Germaine Williams (born December 9, 1974), better known by his stage name Canibus, is an American rapper and actor. He initially gained fame in the 1990s for his ability to freestyle, and eventually released his debut album Can-I-Bus in 1998 ...

, rapper * Charlie Chaplin, reggae singer *

Clive Chin Clive Chin (born 14 May 1954 in Kingston, Jamaica) is a son of Vincent "Randy" Chin. He is a Hakka Chinese Jamaican record producer whose work includes recordings by The Wailers, Dennis Brown, Lee Perry and Black Uhuru, among others. Chin was ...

, record producer *

Tessanne Chin Tessanne Amanda Chin (; born September 20, 1985) is a Jamaican recording artist, best known for winning Season 5 of NBC's reality TV singing competition '' The Voice'' as part of Adam Levine's team. She has opened for artists such as Patti LaBe ...

, singer-songwriter, winner of NBC's ''The Voice (U.S. TV series), The Voice'' Season 5 in 2013 *Vincent "Randy" Chin, record producer, co-founder of VP Records *Chipmunk (rapper), Chipmunk, rapper, songwriter *Chubb Rock, rapper, radio personality *Tami Chynn, singer-songwriter *Jimmy Cliff, singer, reggae musician *Count Ossie, Rastafari Drummer and band leader * Patricia Cumper, producer, director, theatre administrator, critic and commentator *Desmond Dekker, ska and reggae singer *Demarco (artist), Demarco, reggae and dancehall musician *Coxsone Dodd, record producer *Clancy Eccles, ska and reggae singer, record producer *Eek-a-Mouse, reggae singer *Elephant Man (musician), Elephant Man, reggae singer *Horace Faith, reggae singer *Chuck Fenda, singer *Honor Ford-Smith, actress, playwright, poet *Dean Fraser, reggae musician *Kirk Fraser, film director, film producer, screenwriter *Ghetts, grime MC *Joe Gibbs (record producer), Joe Gibbs, record producer *Andrew Gourlay, conductor *Mona Hammond, actress *Dahlia Harris, actress and television personality *Heavy D, rapper *Sean Paul, Sean Paul Henriques, dancehall musician *Toots Hibbert, reggae musician *Joseph Hill (musician), Joseph Hill, reggae musician and band leader,

*Deni Hines, singer *Marcia Hines, singer *Stephen Hopkins (director), Stephen Hopkins, film director *Giggs (rapper), Giggs, rapper *

, singer and actress *K-Anthony, gospel singer *Ini Kamoze, reggae musician *Kano (rapper), Kano, rapper, actor *Koffee, reggae musician *Vybz Kartel, dancehall musician, rapper, deejay *Wynton Kelly, jazz pianist *Joseph Hoo Kim, record producer *Diana King, reggae musician *King Tubby, dub musician *Sean Kingston, singer *Sean Paul, singer *Kiprich, deejay *DJ Kool Herc, DJ *Major Lazer, DJ *Byron Lee, ska and soca musician *Rusty Lee, actress, singer, television personality *Barrington Levy, reggae singer *Mad Cobra, dancehall deejay *Bob Marley, reggae singer *Damian Marley, reggae musician *Ky-Mani Marley, reggae musician *Rita Marley, reggae singer; wife of Bob Marley *Stephen Marley (musician), Stephen Marley, singer *Ziggy Marley, reggae musician; son of Bob Marley *Mavado (singer), Mavado, dancehall and reggae musician *Winston McAnuff, Reggae and Dub singer and composer aka Electric Dread *Carmen McRae, singer *Mr. Vegas, deejay *Hugh Mundell, reggae singer-songwriter *Augustus Pablo, reggae singer *Patra (singer), Patra, dancehall musician *Dawn Penn, reggae singer *Lee "Scratch" Perry, reggae musician *Leigh-Anne Pinnock, singer *Prince Buster, ska singer and producer *Ernest Ranglin, jazz, ska, rocksteady and reggae guitarist *Ras Droppa, reggae artist *Lloyd Reckord, actor, producer, director, playwright *Duke Reid, record producer *Wayne Rhoden, singer-songwriter *Tarrus Riley, singer *Tenor Saw, reggae artist *Sasha (deejay), Sasha, deejay *Lady Saw, reggae musician *Serani, reggae singer *Shabba Ranks, reggae musician *Shaggy (artist), Shaggy, singer-songwriter *Shenseea, rapper *Madge Sinclair, Emmy winning actress *Sister Nancy, dancehall deejay *Sizzla, reggae and dancehall deejay *Millie Small, singer-songwriter *Mikey Smith, dub poet *Spice (singer), Spice, dancehall musician *Spot (rapper), Spot *Spragga Benz, reggae and dancehall deejay *Neville Staple, singer *Peter Tosh, reggae musician *Ruby Turner, singer, songwriter and actress. *Bunny Wailer, reggae singer *Willard White, operatic bass-baritone *Peter Williams (actor), Peter Williams, actor *Wretch 32, rapper *Tyga, rapper *Stefflon Don, rapper *Yellowman, reggae and dancehall deejay

Politicians

*Kenneth Baugh, Minister of Health and Deputy Prime Minister * Barbara Blake Hannah, Barbara Blake-Hannah, first Rastafarian representative in the Jamaican parliament *Alexander Bustamante, trade unionist and Prime Minister, national hero *Bruce Golding, Prime Minister *

, Minister of Youth & Culture, former Miss World *Andrew Holness, Prime Minister *Hyman Isaac Long, Deputy Inspector General of the Grand Consistory of the twenty-five degree "Rite of the Royal Secret" (11 January 1795) *Michael Manley, Prime Minister *Norman Manley, Prime Minister and Jamaican national hero *Earle Maynier, first Jamaican High Commissioner to Canada *Sir Henry Moore, 1st Baronet, Henry Moore, colonial governor *Trevor Munroe, trade unionist and politician *P. J. Patterson, Prime Minister *Edward Seaga, Prime Minister *Portia Simpson-Miller, Prime Minister *

, List of presidents of the Senate of Jamaica, President of the Senate of Jamaica.

Religious leaders

*S. U. Hastings, first Jamaican bishop of the Moravian Church * Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Rev Rose Josephine Hudson-Wilkin, Bishop of Dover and the first black woman to become a Church of England bishop. She was the first black female to hold the role of Queen's Chaplain. She also served as Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons from 2010 to 2019 * Oliver Lyseight, the founder of one of Britain's largest black majority churches, and spiritual leader to the "Windrush generation" *Neville Neil, bishop of the Jamaica Province of the Moravian Church, Moravian Church in Jamaica

Science and medicine

*E. Dale Abel, Evan Dale Abel, Jamaican-born endocrinologist *Maydianne Andrade, Jamaican-born Canadian ecologist. *Simone Badal-McCreath, Jamaican chemist and cancer researcher *Walt Braithwaite, Jamaican-born American engineer and former executive at Boeing. *Aggrey Burke, Jamaican-born psychiatrist and the first black consultant psychiatrist appointed by Britain's National Health Service (NHS) *Nira Chamberlain, mathematician and the first black mathematician to join the exclusive list of distinguish living British mathematicians who feature in the biographical reference book Who's Who, Who’s Who. He is also the creator of a mathematical cost capability trade-off model for ''HMS Queen Elizabeth (R08), HMS Queen Elizabeth'' *Paul R. Cunningham, Jamaican-born surgeon and medical educator *Patricia Daley, Jamaican-born British human geographer and academic *Patricia DeLeon, Jamaican reproductive geneticist who specialists in the male reproductive system *Tashni-Ann Dubroy, Jamaican science academic and university administrator in the United States *Kevin Fenton, epidemiologist and a regional director at Public Health England *Yvette Francis-McBarnette, Jamaican-born paediatrician *Bertram Fraser-Reid, Jamaican synthetic Organic chemistry, organic chemist *Neil Gardner, Jamaican chiropractic neurologist, former athlete *Thomas J. Goreau, Jamaican biogeochemist and marine biologist; *Neil Hanchard, Jamaican physician and clinical investigator *Odette Harris, Jamaican-born professor of neurosurgery at Stanford University and the Director of the Brain Injury Program for the Stanford University School of Medicine. *Jacqueline Hughes-Oliver, Jamaican-born statistician *Hedley Jones, Jamaican audio engineer and astronomer *Thomas Lecky, Jamaican scientist who developed several new breeds of cattle *Elsa Leo-Rhynie, Jamaican science academic * Henry Lowe, Jamaican scientist, philanthropist and businessman *Camille McKayle, Jamaican-born mathematician *Harold Moody, Jamaican physician *Ludlow Moody, Jamaican physician *Errol Morrison, Jamaican scientist who has carried out pioneering work in the field of diabetes *Karen E. Nelson, Jamaican-born American microbiologist, *Geoff Palmer (scientist), Geoff Palmer, Jamaican-born scientist *Donald Richards (statistician), Donald Richards, statistician *Mercedes Richards, Jamaican-born pioneering astronomy and astrophysics professor. *Robert Robinson (engineer), Robert Robinson, Jamaican-born engineer *Mary Seacole, Jamaican-born woman of Scottish and Creole descent who set up a "British hotel" behind the lines during the Crimean War *Jean Springer, Jamaican mathematics professor *Garth Taylor (ophthalmologist), Garth Taylor, Jamaican ophthalmologist, professor, and humanitarian *Manley West, Jamaican pharmacologist who developed a treatment for glaucoma *Cicely Williams, identified the protein deficiency disease kwashiorkor *Henry Vernon Wong, Jamaican-American physicist known for his work in plasma physics.

Sports

*Alia Atkinson, Order of Distinction, OD, multiple time Olympic Swimming (sport), swimmerBerg, Aimee (November 20, 2018)
"Alia Atkinson: Jamaica's Tour de Force"
''FINA''. Retrieved July 20, 2021. *Donovan Bailey, Jamaican-born Canadian, world champion sprinter *Leon Bailey, Jamaican footballer playing for Aston Villa FC *John Barnes (footballer), John Barnes, Jamaican-born English football player; played for the England national football team and Liverpool F.C. *Trevor Berbick, champion boxer *Atari Bigby, former American football, football player *Andre Blake, professional MLS goalkeeper *Yohan Blake, sprinter *Usain Bolt, world and Olympic record holder, 100m and 200m *Walter Boyd (footballer), Walter Boyd, former professional footballer *Steve Bucknor, international cricket umpire *Veronica Campbell-Brown, sprinter *Alicia Ashley, former women's boxing champion *Omar Cummings, Jamaican-born Major League Soccer, MLS and Jamaica national football team football player *Chili Davis, Jamaican-born American, former star Major League Baseball player *Patrick Ewing, Jamaican-born American, former National Basketball Association, NBA star * Junior Flemmings, professional footballer *Heather Foster, Jamaican-born American professional bodybuilder *Shaun Francis, former professional footballer *Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, sprinter, 100m and 200m World and Olympic record holder (Beijing 2008 and London 2012), fondly known as "The Pocket Rocket" *Ricardo Fuller, Jamaican-born Premier League and Jamaica national football team football player *Ricardo Gardner, Jamaican-born Premier League and Jamaica national football team football player *Chris Gayle, Captain of West Indian International Cricket Team *Ian Goodison, former professional footballer *Owayne Gordon, professional footballer *George Headley, cricketer *Sek Henry, basketball player *Wavell Hinds, cricketer *Michael Holding, cricketer *Shericka Jackson, Olympic medalist *Kamara James, Jamaican-born American, Olympic fencer *Ben Johnson (Canadian sprinter), Ben Johnson, Jamaican-born Canadian, disgraced champion sprinter *Glen Johnson (boxer), Glen Johnson, champion boxer *Ryan Johnson (footballer, born 1984), Ryan Johnson, former professional footballer *Jerome Jordan, NBA player, New York Knicks center #44 *Andrew Kennedy (basketball), Andrew Kennedy, professional basketball player *Rajiv Maragh, jockey *Tyrone Marshall, Jamaican-born MLS and Jamaica national football team football player *Darren Mattocks, Jamaican-born MLS and Jamaica national football team football player *Mike McCallum, champion boxer *Merlene Ottey, Jamaican-born Slovenian sprinter, the world's most winning female athlete *Asafa Powell, sprinter, former 100m world record holder *Donald Quarrie, sprinter *Shawn Rhoden, bodybuilder *Sanya Richards-Ross, Jamaican-born American sprinter, 400m *Donovan Ricketts, Jamaican-born MLS and Jamaica national football team football player *Tessa Sanderson, Jamaican-born former British Javelin gold medalist and Heptathlon *Trecia-Kaye Smith, former Triple Jump World Champion *Raheem Sterling, Jamaican-born English football player; currently plays for Manchester City *Shavar Thomas, Jamaican-born MLS and Jamaica national football team football player *Elaine Thompson-Herah, OD, multiple Olympic champion *Stephen Tulloch, National Football League middle linebacker for Detroit Lions and N.C. State Wolfpac; born in Miami of Jamaican heritage *Peter-Lee Vassell, professional footballer *Melaine Walker, sprinter, 400m Olympic record holder (Beijing 2008) *Courtney Walsh, cricketer *Nicholas Walters, professional boxer, former World Boxing Association, WBA (Super) World Featherweight champion *Devon White (baseball), Devon White, baseball player *Theodore Whitmore, former professional footballer, coach *Arthur Wint, OD MBE, Olympic former 400m gold medalist

Others

* Diane Abbott, first female member of the African-Caribbean community to be elected to the UK House of Commons in 1987 * Hope Arthurine Anderson, national chess champion and Olympian * Emily Rose Bleby (1849-1917), temperance reformer *Dawn Butler, Labour Party (UK), Labour MP since 2015. Butler became the first black woman to speak from the despatch box in the House of Commons of the United Kingdom, House of Commons in December 2009 *Alan Eyre, geographer and environmentalist *Michael Fuller, Britain's first black Police Chief Constable and Chief Inspector of the Crown Prosecution Service * Marcus Garvey, founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) * St. William Grant, trade unionist and activist * Henry Gunter, civil rights campaigner, trade unionist and the first black delegate to be elected to the Birmingham Trades Council *Stuart Hall (cultural theorist), Stuart Hall, cultural theorist, political activist and co-founder of ''New Left Review'' * Thomas Duffus Hardy, archivist and antiquary *Donald J. Harris, economist *Lenford Harvey, Lenford "Steve" Harvey, AIDS activist *Barrington Irving, pilot who previously held the record for the youngest person to pilot a plane Circumnavigation, around the world solo *Doreen Lawrence, Baroness Lawrence, campaigner *Ian McKnight, founder of Jamaica AIDS Support for LIFE (JASL) *Bill Morris, Baron Morris of Handsworth, Bill Morris, General Secretary of the Transport and General Workers' Union from 1992 to 2003, and became the first black leader of a major British trade union. *Colin Powell, politician, statesman, diplomat, and United States Army officer who served as the 65th United States Secretary of State from 2001 to 2005. He was the List of African-American United States Cabinet members, first African-American Secretary of State * Roxroy Salmon, Jamaican-American immigration activist

References

{{reflist Lists of Jamaican people,

Artists

Beauty contest winners

Business and Law

Groups

Journalists, poets and writers

Models

Musicians, actors and film-makers

Politicians

Religious leaders

Science and medicine

Sports

Others

See also

References