Famous Jamaicans

Chriss Leon She was born c. 1941-1942 Early on the morning of Friday the 2nd, Jamaican Chriss Leon, who had been selected as Miss Jamaica for Miss World 1961 and who was living in London working as a typist at the time, went to the Waldorf Hotel, venue of the contest. When she introduced herself as Miss Jamaica, the managers looked for her on the list and, obviously, her name did not appear. Then she explained that she had arrived by boat in Southampton a year before but her chaperone had not allowed her to disembark to participate and that she had to return to her country, but that she was still Miss Jamaica.

Juan de Bolas (b. 1604?, d. 1664)  (his African name was Lubolo) was a 17th-century warrior and political thinker He was one of the first leaders of the Jamaican Maroons. He helped his people transition from Spanish to English rule after the English captured Jamaica in 1655. Juan de Bolas and his Maroon community was based primarily around the town of Lluidas Vale. The Spanish attempted to retake the Colony of Jamaica, and to this end Don Christobal de Ysasi relied on his alliance with the Spanish Maroons to secure this victory. However, Governor Edward D'Oyley succeeded in persuading one of the leaders of the Spanish Maroons, Juan de Bolas, to switch sides and join the English along with his Maroon warriors. In 1660, when Ysasi realised that de Bolas had joined the English, he admitted that the Spanish no longer had a chance of recapturing the island, since de Bolas and his men knew the mountainous interior better than the Spanish and the English. Ysasi gave up on his dreams,...

John Williams was enslaved Jamaican man who was granted freedom by the will of John’s enslaver, Col. John Bourden (d. 1697) He went on to become a wealthy merchant, and fought for himself, his wife and his sons (including Francis ) to have increased protection under the law. John Williams accumulated significant wealth through savvy business deals, leaving an estate worth £12,000 sterling upon his death in 1723.

Francis Williams (b. c. 1690, d. 1770) a Jamaican scholar, writer, poet, teacher, and land-owner in 18th century Jamaica. He was was one of the most notable free black people in Jamaica.  Born in Kingston, Jamaica into a slaveholding family. His parents: John and Dorothy Williams, both of whom were free people of color. John had been emancipated in 1699 through the will and testament of his former enslaver. John Williams accumulated significant wealth through savvy business deals, leaving an estate worth £12,000 sterling upon his death in 1723. Around 1710, Williams journeyed to Britain for an education. Accounts vary, but he certainly studied law at Lincoln’s Inn, London Back in Jamaica, Williams became a local celebrity, attracting fans and critics alike. He apparently sought a seat in the House of Assembly, but was rejected because of his ethnicity. He ran a school for free black students, teaching reading, writing, Latin, and mathematics. Williams challenged everything th...

Ainsley Cohen Henriques Ainsley Henriques is a member of the famous Henriques family, Anglo-Jewish in origin. The family progenitor was Moses Henriques of Kingston, Jamaica, who married Abigail Quixano in 1768. (1) He is the founder of the Jamaica Jewish Genealogical Society and maintains a database of over 25,000 names, and he’s been an invaluable resource for historians. He is a former head chairman of the Jamaica National Heritage Trust. (2) He is from Morant Bay. Sources (2)  http://www.jnht.com/messages.php

Tammar Chin Mitchell , or known better by her stage name: Tami Chynn, is a Jamaican singer, songwriter, and dancer. Chynn was born in Kingston, Jamaica. Her father, Richard Chin, is of Jamaican and Chinese descent and her mother, Christine Chin, also a Jamaican national, is of English and African descent (1) Tami grew up in the parish of St. Andrew and attended St. Peter and Paul Preparatory School. She later attended Campion College in St. Andrew, Jamaica. (2) n 1998, at age 14, she moved to Leamington Spa, UK where she spent three years studying the performing arts and in 2001, at age 17, moved back to Jamaica, where she worked on her music career and recorded her first single "Rock U." Before pursuing music, she toured with fellow Jamaican artist Shaggy as a backup dancer on his Caught Red Handed Tour. In early 2005 she travelled to Los Angeles to perform for Universal Motown Records and in May she was signed to the major label, at age 24 In September 2008, she starred in ...

Wayne Mitchell OD, or known by his stage name: Wayne Marshall, is a Jamaican reggae and dancehall deejay. Mr. Marshall is married to fellow reggae, dancehall artist Tami Chynn. In 2009, he was featured in the dancehall remix to Jamie Foxx's "Blame It". He was born on April 9, 1980.

Anna Ruth Henriques is a Jamaican  painter, sculptor, author, and jewelry designer. Her artworks are in the permanent collections of New York’s Jewish Museum and El Museo del Barrio, as well as the National Gallery of Jamaica (1). She was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica. (2) Anna Henriques is the highly acclaimed author of The Book of Mechtilde (Knopf), the illustrated story of her mother, Sheila Henriques , who died of cancer. (3) More of Henriques' career is shown on her website:  www.henriquesart.com She is a member of the famous Henriques family, Anglo-Jewish in origin. The family progenitor was Moses Henriques of Kingston, Jamaica, who married Abigail Quixano in 1768. (4)   Sources: (1)  https://www.wordupbooks.com/event/ross-kenneth-urken-anna-ruth-henriques (2)  https://www.jckonline.com/magazine-article/anna-ruth-henriques/ (3)  https://arhjewelry.wordpress.com/biography/ (4)  https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-tr...

Sheila Mechtilde (née Chong) Henriques was born on July 11, 1935 in Kingston Jamaica. She is a woman of Chinese, Scottish and African heritage. Born Catholic, she converted to Judaism when she married (1). Sheila M. Chong Sheila Chong was crowned Miss Jamaica World 1959, she was placed in the Top 11 of finalists (2). She married into the famous Henriques family, Anglo-Jewish in origin. The family progenitor was Moses Henriques of Kingston, Jamaica, who married Abigail Quixano in 1768. (3) Her daughter, Anna Ruth Henriques, wrote a biographical novel of her mother's life titled "Book of Mechtilde" (4) She died on  October 31, 1978 after a battle with breast cancer (1). Sources: (1) https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-sep-27-me-36649-story.html (2)  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_World_1959 (3)  https://www.encyclopedia.com/religion/encyclopedias-almanacs-transcripts-and-maps/henriques#:~:text=HENRIQUES%20(Quixano%20Henriques%20)%2C%20Anglo,as%20a%20...