Jamaicans by birth and by descent have made major contributions in many fields.
POLITICS/PUBLIC SERVICE
Alexander James Dallas
Born in Kingston, Jamaica June 21, 1759 of Scottish parentage
Served as the U.S. Treasury Secretary under President James Madison.
During 1815 he acted as Secretary of War
Died January 16, 1817
George Mifflin Dallas
Born July 10, 1792 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Son of Jamaican-born Alexander James Dallas (see above)
U.S. Senator from Pennsylvania
Eleventh Vice President of the United States, serving under President James K. Polk from March 4, 1845 to March 4, 1849
Died December 31, 1864
Colin Luther Powell
Born April 5, 1937 in Harlem, New York to Jamaican immigrant parents
Four-star general in the United States Army
Served as National Security Advisor from 1987 to 1989
Commander-in-Chief, U.S. Army Forces Command in 1989
Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1989 to 1993 and only African-American to do so
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He met Elvis Presley while both were serving with the Third Armored Division in Germany
Served as a South Vietnamese Army adviser from 1962 to 1963
Became Ronald Reagan's National Security Advisor, serving from 1987 to 1989
Promoted to a full general under President George H.W. Bush Powell
Decorated for bravery for single-handedly rescued several men from a burning helicopter in Vietnam
Founded America's Promise in 1997 to help children from all socioeconomic sectors
Unanimously voted in by the United States Senateas the 65th United States Secretary of State under George W.Bush. Was the first African-American to do so. He served from 2001 to 2005
Diane Julie Abbott
Born 27 September 1953 in London, England of Jamaican parentage
Worked in television from 1980 to 1985
Began her political career by being elected to the Westminster Council in 1982
In 1987 she became the first black woman elected to the House of Commons. She represents the British Labour Party
SPORTS
Lloyd Lindbergh "Lindy" Delapenha
Born May 25, 1927 in Jamaica
In 1948 he became the first Jamaican to play professional football in England
In a career lasting 12 years he played for clubs Portsmouth, Middlesborough, Mansfield Town, Hereford United
Returned to Jamaica in 1960 and became a television sportscaster for the now defunct Jamaica Broadcasting Corporation
Presently retired although he is an occasional commentator on a sports radio station
Lennox Claudius Lewis
Born September 2, 1965 in London,England of Jamaican parentage
Moved to Kitchener, Ontario, Canada in 1977
Represented Canada at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles as a superheavyweight but didn't win a medal
Went to the 1988 Olympics held in Seoul, South Korea where he won a gold medal by knocking out future heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe
After his Olympic career was over he moved back to Britain to pursue a professional career
Became WBC heavyweight champion when Riddick Bowe refused to defend the title against him and was stripped of it
On becoming heavyweight champion, he became the first British person to do so in the 20th century
One of four boxers in history to have won the heavyweight championship three times
Presently lives in Miami Beach with his wife and two children and is a commentator for HBO
Studied law before pursuing acting starting his career on stage with Harlems's Negro Theater
Acted in more than 20 major feature films
Guest starred on television shows like "High Chaparral", "Rawhide", "Marcus Welby, M.D."
His light skin made it possible for him to play a wide variety of ethnicities such as a Mexican in "Viva Zapata" and a Polynesian in "Mutiny on the Bounty"
Founded "The Theater of Being" to help African-American actors advance their careers
Died tragically on June 11, 1970. He was electrocuted while trying to repair a garbage disposal device
Madge Dorita Sinclair
Born 28 April 1938 in Kingston, Jamaica
Taught in Jamaica until 1968 when she left for New York to start an acting career
Starred in movies "Conrack", "Cornbread, Earl and Me","Convoy","Coming to America"
Starred in television series "Roots","Trapper John M.D.","Gabriel's Fire", "Me and the boys"
Won Emmy award for "Roots",was nominated 3 times for "Trapper John M.D." and nominated for "Gabriel's Fire"
Died 20 December 1995 of leukaemia
Sheryl Lee Ralph
Born on December 30, 1956 in Waterbury, Connecticut to a Jamaican mother and an American father
In 1973 she was crowned Miss Black Teen-age New York in 1973
Youngest female to ever graduate from Rutgers University at the age of 19
Had planned to study medicine but chose the performing arts instead
Made her film debut in "A Piece of the Action"(1977) starring Sidney Poitier and Bill Cosby. Has acted in films "Mighty Quinn"(1989) with Denzel Washington and "Distinguished Gentleman"(1992) with Eddie Murphy
Has been a regular on TV shows "Its a living", "Designing Woman" and "Moesha"
Nominated for a Tony Award for her role as Deena Jones in the 1982 Broadway production "Dreamgirls."
Lester Holt
A short video clip of Lester Holt on NBC Nightly News
Born on March 8, 1959 in California.
His maternal grandparents were from Jamaica.
Worked with WCBS New York 1981-82, WBBM Chicago 1986-2000.
Joined MSNBC in 2000, became co-host of NBC's Weekend Today in 2003 and NBC Weekend evening news anchor in 2005.
Worked as a sports anchor for WABC New York from 2004 before joining NBC in 2007.
Co-host with Lester Holt of Weekend Today (Sundays).
MUSIC
Clementina Dinah Campbell (better known as Cleo Laine)
Cleo Laine performing with Ray Charles
Born July 28, 1927 in London of a Jamaican father and an English mother
Before embarking on a singing career, she worked as an apprentice hairdresser
Started her professional career in the 1950's
Took her professional name from the character "Clio Dulaine" in the novel "Saratoga Trunk" by Edna Ferber
Only singer ever to have been nominated for Grammys in the popular, classical and jazz categories
Millicent "Millie" Small
Born in Clarendon, Jamaica on October 6, 1946
Was part of a duo called "Roy and Millie"
Recorded hit song"My Boy Lollipop" in London, England in 1964. It has since sold 7 million copies
Carlton(Carl)George Douglas
Born May 10, 1942 in Kingston, Jamaica
Went to England in the early 1960's to study audio engineering
Started his music career in 1964
Recorded song "Kung Fu fighting" in 1974. This song reached no. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. This achievement made him the first Jamaican to do so
Presently lives in Los Angeles where he has a company which provides music for films and advertisements
Montgomery(Monty)Bernard Alexander
The Monty Alexander Trio playing "No woman, no cry".
Born on June 6, 1944 in Kingston, Jamaica
Started taking piano lessons at the age six
Attended concerts by Louis Armstrong and Nat “King” Cole in Jamaica
As a teenager in Jamaica he created a group "Monty and the Cyclones"
Migrated to the United States in 1961
Discovered by Frank Sinatra in Las Vegas
Has performed and recorded with Quincy Jones,Tony Bennett, Natalie Cole, Dizzy Gillespie and many others
Born September 15, 1889 in James Hill, Clarendon, Jamaica
Worked as a police officer in Jamaica before migrating to the United States of America
Attended Tuskegee Institute
Worked as a waiter on the railway
Wrote novels "Home to Harlem", "Bananas Bottom", short stories "Gingertown", "A long way from home", poetry "Shadows"
An important part of the Harlem Renaissance*
Died May 22,1948
*The Harlem Renaissance which occurred during the 1920's and 1930's was the blossomong of African American artistic expression.
Evan Jones
Born in Portland Jamaica in 1927
Migrate to England in 1956
Wrote the well known poem "The Song of the Banana Man"
Wrote the screenplay for BBC documentary "The fight against slavery" as well as screenplays for movies like "Funeral in Berlin" released in 1966 starring Michael Caine
FASHION
Naomi Campbell
Born May 22, 1970 in London, England of Jamaican parentage
Appeared in a music video for Bob Marley's song "Is This Love?" when she was 7 years old
Appeared on the cover of Elle in 1986
Became the first black to appear on the cover of Vogue in 1988
In 1992 she appeared in Michael Jackson's video "In the closet"
