HISTORIANS ARE DIVIDED over the start of the real work of nation building in the United States.
Did it start after the successful war of independence in 1782 or on the adoption of the constitution in 1789? Whatever the answer this much is clear: Barbados had a hand in nurturing the country that has evolved into the world’s wealthiest nation.
As President Lyndon Baines Johnson explained in 1968 when Errol Barrow, then Barbados’ first Prime Minister, paid a state visit to the US, it was “Barbados that our (founding) fathers turned to when they were framing our declaration of independence and the constitution of our country. Barbados had its own Declaration of Rights as early as 1651 and we Americans were very grateful and very proud to have drawn upon it in our own documents”.
Some of that history plus the record of accomplishments of Bajans to America’s prosperity are in a new book entitled A Celebration of Barbadians in the United States of America, a 240-page publication of profiles, photographs, sketches of the contributions of Bajans and significant milestones in US and Barbados history, dating back to 1625.
There are 330 profiles of Barbadians in the diaspora who in different ways have made a mark on America. They range from physicians, academicians, attorneys, judges, construction workers, trade union leaders and nurses to elected officials, corporate executives.
Some that come quickly to mind are Eric Holder, the first person of colour to serve as USA Attorney-General, Dr Velma Scantlebury, Gwen Ifill, Prince Hall, Robert Maynard, New York Justice Sylvia Hinds Radix, Shirley Chisholm, Russell Thomas Jones, and Justice Anne Barnes of Georgia.
The former US Attorney General, a close friend of former President Barack Obama, hailed the “attempt to record the achievements and contributions of such a large number of Barbadians across the United States.” After all, he added, it “could not have been an easy task and the (Barbados) Consul-General (in Miami, Colin Mayers) and his team must be commended for conceptualising the project and for bringing to fruition a document which will have historic significance”.
In a tribute, Holder, the son of Bajan parents, traced his roots to St Joseph, and said he was “extremely proud of the impact that Barbados has had on US society. The work and contribution of the Barbadian diaspora has largely been underpinned by the values inculcated and internalised in Barbados and which have never been forgotten. These values have effectively been applied in large measure in the world of work.”
Evelyn Greaves, the book’s editor-in-chief and a major driving force behind the project which was coordinated by Mayers, agreed.
“Originally conceptualised as an effort to help celebrate the golden jubilee of Barbados’ independence, the book documents the achievements of Barbadians of all walks of life in America,” said Greaves, a former Cabinet minister who later became Barbados’ top diplomat in Canada but who now lives in Florida with his wife. “We spared no effort in soliciting submissions and collating and editing the material. The coffee table book is really a document on Barbadians.
“But it is more than just profiles,” explained Greaves who coordinated a similar publication in Canada, Some Barbadian Canadians published in 2011. “With key dates, messages from the Prime Minister Freundel Stuart, a historical account of Barbadian immigration to the US written by Dr Calvin Holder, history professor at the Staten Island College of the City University of New York,, photos of life in Barbados, a reflective essay on the Barbados-Carolina connection by Sir Henry Fraser, a preface by Mayers and information on the National Anthem and other national symbols, we are confident Barbadians everywhere will find it appealing and informative.”
At least 1 000 copies are being printed by the end of this month and the book will be launched in the US and Barbados.
Tony Best is the NATION’s North American Correspondent. Email: [email protected]
