Table Of ContentREPRESENTING BLACKNESS: MARCUS GARVEY
AND THE POLITICS OF MUSEOLOGY IN POST-
COLONIAL JAMAICA
Thesis submitted for the degree of
Doctor of Philosophy
at the University of Leicester
by
Donna Elaine McFarlane
Department of Museum Studies
University of Leicester
2012
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REPRESENTING BLACKNESS:
MARCUS GARVEY AND THE POLITICS OF
MUSEOLOGY IN POST-COLONIAL JAMAICA
by Donna Elaine McFarlane
Historically Black people in the Western Hemisphere have lacked power to represent their
stories to themselves, from their perspective in museums. In spite of the fact that African
Universities, like 14th century Djenne University in Timbuktu, with thousands of volumes of
books and manuscripts, existed before the rise of Western civilizations; Black children in the
Western Hemisphere learn that Africans did not have a written history justifying the burden of
Europeans to write Africa’s history. African history books from the perspective of enlightened
Black scholarship have been written for centuries but are not widely known in Black
communities and are not routinely a part of the curricula in western educational systems. The
result is wide scale historical amnesia among Black people about their ancient histories. Through
extensive desk research and exploration of issues of self-identity in the course of my work as
Director of Liberty Hall, I am able to pose answers to the questions of where and how do we
make a start at stimulating memory, and in representation of these memories in museums?
This study explores the historical bases upon which representation of Black histories have been
made in the educational system and in museums in post-colonial Jamaica; and proposes that
when representation draws on the work of enlightened scholarship it reveals a historical legacy
of strength, innovation, and resilience that makes a powerful contribution to Black education and
to that of others. More importantly, it affects and reinforces positive self-identity, one of the
cornerstones of modern museology. The Marcus Mosiah Garvey Multimedia Museum is an
exercise in memory, modern museology, and in involvement of the surrounding communities in
charting the museums’ developmental course. Reinterpretation of Liberty Hall, a national
monument, facilitates a comprehensive approach to representation of ‘our’ story, with the
museum as its central educational tool.
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Acknowledgements
First, homage is due to my mother Edna McFarlane and all my ancestors for guidance, memory,
and perseverance to accomplish my goal. I thank my Supervisor Dr. Viv Golding for her gentle
steering of my process, her offerings of sound advice, and for her understanding of my voice. I
thank all of my family and sister/friends who by listening to my ideas and engaging in discussion
encouraged me onwards. Finally, I thank my husband Claude for believing in my journey and
supporting me every step of the way with enormous love and quiet strength.
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Acknowledgements 3
Table of Contents
List of Tables 7
List of Figures 8
Chapter 1 11
Introduction 11
1.0 Introduction 11
1.1 Research Purpose 15
1.2 Research Questions 16
1.3 Significance 16
1.4 Definitions 17
1.5 Jamaica: Setting the Stage 19
1.6 Research Methods & Design 22
1.7 Structure of the Thesis 25
Chapter 2 27
Developing a Critical Race Theory of Museums Methodology 27
2.0 Introduction 27
2.1 The Qualitative Mixed Research Methodology 28
2.2 Case study 30
2.3 Positioning the Researcher 31
2.4 Developing Afrocentric Method 35
2.4.1 Critical Race Theory 37
2.4.2 Critical Race Theory of Education 37
2.4.3 Developing a Critical Race Theory of Museums Methodology 38
2.5 Employing Critical Pedagogy 41
2.6 Crossroads and Case Study 42
2.7 Broad Methodological Approach 44
2.8 Guiding Methodological Strategy 46
2.8.1 Desk Research 46
2.8.2 Data Gathering at the primary case study site 47
2.9 Conclusion 49
Chapter 3 51
The Pre-Colonial Narrative: His-Story-Vs-An-Other Story 51
3.0 Introduction 51
3.1 His-Story -VS- An-Other-Story 58
3.1.1 European/African Encounter 61
3.1.2 Arab/African/European Encounter 65
3.1.3 Native American/African Encounter 67
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3.1.4 Native Americans/Africans/Europeans Meeting 67
3.2 Conclusion 69
CHAPTER 4 71
Setting the Colonial Stage 71
4.0 Introduction 71
4.1 Capitalism and Slavery 71
4.2 Creating Identity through Race and Racism 74
4.2.1 Race and Racism in 17th Century Jamaica 76
4.3 Asserting Black Self Identity through Wars of Resistance 83
4.4 From Abolition of Slavery to Crown Colony Rule 85
4.5 Colonial Education for Shaping Identity 91
4.6 Creole and Creolization 94
4.7 Conclusion 96
CHAPTER 5 99
Out of Many One People: Colonial to Post-Colonial Jamaica 99
5.0 Introduction 99
5.1 Out Of Many 101
5.1.1 Jews 101
5.1.2 Europeans and Middle Easterners 103
5.1.3 East Indians 106
5.1.4 Chinese 107
5.2 Concluding the Many 109
5.3 ‘Browning’ of Independent Jamaica 111
5.4 Blackness and Jamaica’s Self-Identity 115
5.5 Conclusion 118
Chapter 6 120
Injecting a Good Dose of English Culture: Museums in Jamaica 120
6.1 The Culture of Museums: The Institute of Jamaica 120
6.1.1 The Jamaica International Exhibition 125
6.2 Museum Development after Cundall: A Shift in Focus 131
Chapter 7 137
CASE STUDY: From British to Folk: Recalibrating Identity through Museum Development 137
7.0 Introduction: Old King’s House, Spanish Town Square 137
7.1 The Genesis of the Folk Museum 145
7.2 The Folk Museum – Development of the Idea 160
7.3 The Folk Museum: 1961-1975 164
7.3 Folk – versus – People: The People’s Museum of Craft and Technology 184
7.4 Conclusion 196
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Chapter 8 199
Liberty Hall: The Legacy of Marcus Garvey 199
8.0 Introduction: Why a Museum to Marcus Mosiah Garvey? 199
8.1 76 King Street 208
8.3 The Museum’s Audience: Communities Surrounding LH 214
8.4 The Friends of Liberty Hall 220
8.5 The Skeletal Outlines of the Marcus Mosiah Garvey Multimedia Museum 221
8.6 Liberty Hall: The Legacy of Marcus Garvey 224
8.6.1 Garvey Multimedia Computer Centre 227
8.6.2 Garvey After-School Programme 231
8.6.3 LH Community Outreach 233
8.6.4 Summer Art 236
8.6.5 Garvey Research/Reference Library 242
8.6.5.1 Children’s Library 244
8.7 Conclusion 247
Chapter 9 249
Representing Blackness: The Marcus Mosiah Garvey Multimedia Museum (MMGMM) 249
9.1 The Making of the Marcus Mosiah Garvey Multimedia Museum (MMGMM) – Phase I 249
9.2 Marcus Mosiah Garvey Multimedia Museum - Phase II 255
9.3 Development of Self Identity Exhibit 273
Chapter 10 279
Conclusion: Representing Blackness in Jamaica’s Post Colonial Museums – The Marcus Mosiah Garvey
Multimedia Museum 279
10.0 Introduction 279
10.1 What the Research has Established 281
10.2 The Strengths of the Research 284
10.3 The Weaknesses of the Research 286
10.4 Recommendations for Future Research 288
10.5 Conclusion 289
Appendices 291
Bibliography 292
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List of Tables
Table 4.1: Eisner's estimate of racial distribution in Jamaica by 1834 ....................................... 80
Table 5.1: Ethnic Classifications in 1943 Census of Jamaica (Statistical Institute of Jamaica –
Census of Jamaica 1943) ........................................................................................................ 105
Table 5.2: East Indians in Jamaica (Statistical Institute of Jamaica, Population Census).......... 107
Table 5.3: : Chinese in Jamaica (Statistical Institute of Jamaica, Population Census) ............. 109
Table 8.1: Goals Set for Liberty Hall: The Legacy of Marcus Garvey, 2003 ........................... 227
Table 9.1: Tabulated responses of students to selected questions on self-identity .................... 276
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List of Figures
Figure 1.1: Exterior of Folk Museum (Photo by author) ............................................................ 23
Figure 1.2: Interior of Folk Museum (Photo by author) ............................................................. 23
Figure 1.3: The Entrance of Liberty Hall which Houses the MMGMM [Note: Photo by author] 24
Figure 1.4: Visitors inside the MMGMM [Note: Photo by author] ............................................ 24
Figure 5.1: White Population in Jamaica 1881-2001 (Statistical Institute of Jamaica) ............. 104
Figure 5.2: Essentials of being a citizen 1962 (National Library of Jamaica) .......................... 113
Figure 5.3: Hon Norman Manley, first Premier of Jamaica (right) and (his cousin) Alexander
Bustamante first Prime Minister of Jamaica (left) (Source: National Library of Jamaica) ........ 114
Figure 6.1: Caricature Portrait of Toussaint L'Overture by Nicolas Eustache Maurin (1838) .. 123
Figure 6.2: Quebec Lodge, 1891 Jamaica International Exhibition (National Library of Jamaica)
............................................................................................................................................... 129
Figure 7.1: Old King’s House – surviving portico and façade (photo by author) ..................... 142
Figure 7.2: Old King’s House - rear view of surviving portico and façade (photo by author) .. 142
Figure 7.3: Old King’s House - View from the Square (photo by author) ................................ 143
Figure 7.4: Old House of Assembly (photo by author) ............................................................ 143
Figure 7.5: ecord Office and Armoury linked together by the Rodney Memorial (photo by
author) .................................................................................................................................... 144
Figure 7.6: Old Court House (photo by author) ....................................................................... 144
Figure 7.7: National Library of Jamaica .................................................................................. 150
Figure 7.8: Sir Kenneth Blackburne (in black) at the Opening of the Legislative Council 1961
(National Library of Jamaica) ................................................................................................. 157
Figure 7.9: Stables of Old King’s House – The Folk Museum (photo by author) .................... 157
Figure 7.10: Water Wheel with 'tourism' image behind depicting sugar cane cutters (photo by
author) .................................................................................................................................... 168
Figure 7.11: Taken from the 1898 photo album of Henry Holgate above the words - lawd, him
sweet sah! (National Library of Jamaica) ................................................................................ 169
Figure 7.12: The Opening of the Folk Museum, November 22, 1961 (photo from the archives of
the Institute of Jamaica) .......................................................................................................... 171
Figure 7.13: A variety of objects in the Folk Museum 1961 (National Library of Jamaica) ..... 181
Figure 7.14: Coffee Huller and Blacksmith's shop in the Folk Museum 1961 (National Library of
Jamaica) ................................................................................................................................. 181
Figure 7.15: Tourists viewing a variety of baskets represented in the Folk Museum 1962
(National Library of Jamaica) ................................................................................................. 182
Figure 7.16: The Village Shop, Folk Museum 1966 (National Library of Jamaica) ................. 182
Figure 7.17: German Visitor to Folk Museum 1966; 19th Century Horse Drawn Hearse (National
Library of Jamaica) ................................................................................................................ 182
Figure 7.18: Saw Pit at Folk Museum 1966 (National Library of Jamaica) ............................. 183
Figure 7.19: Children view donkey operated sugar mill; visitor viewing calabash at Folk
Museum 1966 (National Library of Jamaica) .......................................................................... 183
Figure 7.20: People's Museum of Craft and Technology Entrance Sign (photo by author, 2010)
............................................................................................................................................... 184
Figure 7.21: Wooden Bowl with stirring sticks; handmade gigs (toys) (photos by author, 2010)
............................................................................................................................................... 186
Figure 7.22: Objects used by 'higglers' in food market; 'yabbas' - clay food containers; ‘Panya
Jar’ (Spanish Jar) originally used by the Spanish to carry olive oil and wine from Spain, used by
African Jamaicans to store water; basket with handle and straw 'CU-TO-CU' used to squeeze
liquid from cassava (photos by author, 2010) .......................................................................... 186
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Figure 7.23: Official Entry to Exhibition Hall – Encased model of Old King’s House; limestone
water filter housed in lattice work (photo by author, 2010) ..................................................... 188
Figure 7.24: Image of Spanish Town Square on August 1, 1838, Emancipation Day with
contested narrative (National Library of Jamaica) ................................................................... 189
Figure 7.25: Layout of People's Museum of Craft and Technology ......................................... 190
Figure 7.26: Architecture (photo by author, 2010) .................................................................. 192
Figure 7.27: Two Construction Techniques – Wattle and Wattle & Daub (photo by author, 2010)
............................................................................................................................................... 192
Figure 7.28: Representing Agriculture (photo by author, 2010) .............................................. 193
Figure 7.29: The Blacksmith (photo by author, 2010) ............................................................. 193
Figure 7.30: Folk Music (photo by author, 2010) .................................................................... 194
Figure 7.31: Religion and Folk Medicine (photo by author, 2010) .......................................... 194
Figure 7.32: Coffee Stripper (photo by author, 2010) .............................................................. 195
Figure 7.33: Coconut Grater and Fire Truck (photo by author, 2010) ...................................... 196
Figure 8.1: UNIA marches in Harlem New York (photos by James Van der Zee, official
photographer of the UNIA-ACL)............................................................................................ 200
Figure 8.2: Report of Garvey’s Success in KSAC Elections in the Blackman Newspaper –
National Library of Jamaica ................................................................................................... 205
Figure 8.3: The Jamaica Gleaner August 2011 ........................................................................ 207
Figure 8.4: Marcus Garvey Provisional President of Africa and Sir Samuel Herbert Wilson (in
plumed hat), Governor of Jamaica 1924-1925 (National Library of Jamaica) .......................... 211
Figure 8.5: Corner Stone Layers listed above, with Marcus Garvey third from the right. The
Daily Gleaner 23 March, 1933 ................................................................................................ 212
Figure 8.6: Foundation stone laid by Marcus Garvey March 22, 1933 (photo by author) ........ 212
Figure 8.7: Images of LH (left to right) in the early 1920’s (photo by: The National Library);
1987 (photo byThe Gleaner Company, Ltd.); 2003 (photo by Dennis Valentine); and at Present
(photo by author) .................................................................................................................... 214
Figure 8.8: Living conditions on Love Lane, directly behind LH seen from the Garvey Great Hall
(photo by author) .................................................................................................................... 215
Figure 8.9: Configuring first representation of Garvey’s cane in the museum (photo by author)
............................................................................................................................................... 222
Figure 8.10: Painting of Garvey used on the cover of Watson’s The Pan-Africanists (1999) ... 223
Figure 8.11: Painting of Marcus Mosiah Garvey donated to the IOJ in 1957 by the St. Andrew
Division of the UNIA/ACL .................................................................................................... 224
Figure 8.12: Dr. Donna Wright-Edwards (far right), Literacy Consultant, undertaking training of
teachers (photo by author) ...................................................................................................... 230
Figure 8.13: Teaching Capoeira in the Garvey Great Hall (photo by author) ........................... 231
Figure 8.14: Garvey After-School Programme using learning tools (photo by author)............. 232
Figure 8.15: Demonstrating Capeoira and drumming as forms of Resistance at Sankofa III at IOJ
Lecture Hall 2008 (photo by authur) ....................................................................................... 235
Figure 8.16: Audience at Sankofa II 2006; and Shortwood Teacher's College students in
foreground at Sankofa V, IOJ 2010, IOJ Lecture Hall (photo by author) ................................. 235
Figure 8.17: Over 300 students listening attentively during Sankofa VI, Liberty Hall 2011(photo
by author) ............................................................................................................................... 235
Figure 8.18: Symbol of SankƆfa on the gate and wall of Liberty Hall – the latter executed in tile
mosaic by children (photo by author)...................................................................................... 236
Figure 8.19: Chess Classes in Garvey Great Hall 2003 (photo by author) ............................... 237
Figure 8.20: Dance Classes in Garvey Great Hall 2003 (photo by author) ............................... 237
Figure 8.21: Children painting murals on the walls of the Garvey Great Hall 2004 (photo by
author) .................................................................................................................................... 241
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Figure 8.22: Participants in production of mosaic Garvey, Family and Community 2006 (photo
by author) ............................................................................................................................... 242
Figure 8.23: Garvey, Family and Community mosaic 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010 (photo by author)
............................................................................................................................................... 242
Figure 8.24: Students with teacher in Research/Reference Library (photo by author) .............. 243
Figure 8.25: Presentation of African-centred books by Read Across Jamaica to Garvey
Children’s Library .................................................................................................................. 245
Figure 8.26: Garvey Centenary travelling exhibition devised for the Schomburg Center for
Research in Black Culture and donated to LH in 2012. ........................................................... 246
Figure 8.27: Handing over Reading Competition Prize to successful competitor ..................... 247
Figure 9.1: Floor Plan and Layout of Phase I of Museum - 2003 ............................................ 251
Figure 9.2: Children around representation of Garvey’s cane 2004 (photo by author) ............. 254
Figure 9.3: Children and adults enjoying the skeletal outlines of the Museum (photos by author)
............................................................................................................................................... 254
Figure 9.4: Kiosk design in Multimedia Museum ................................................................... 260
Figure 9.5: Initial design of Museum space by Partick O. Stanigar, Architect ......................... 260
Figure 9.6: Final Layout of Museum Including Sound Spots .................................................. 262
Figure 9.7: Final Layout of Museum Including Lighting Design ............................................. 263
Figure 9.8: Children sitting on benches and on the floor enjoying the Museum’s theatre space
(photo by author) .................................................................................................................... 264
Figure 9.9: Pictorial Representation of Garvey’s Life in MMGMM ........................................ 265
Figure 9.10: Style of interactive DVD .................................................................................... 267
Figure 9.11: Prime Minister Simpson-Miller Delivering the Address at the Official Opening of
the MMGMM ......................................................................................................................... 268
Figure 9.12: Neptune Basic School Figure 9.13: Russeau Primary ..................................... 271
Figure 9.14: Images of children and students in the MMGMM [photos by author] .................. 271
Figure 9.15: St. Joseph's Teacher's College Students Figure 9.16: Triumphant Early Childhood
Development Centre 272
Figure 9.17: St. Elizabeth Technical High School students (photo by author) ......................... 272
Figure 10.1: Billboard that subtly suggests the face of princesses (photo by permission of
photographer C. Parchment) ................................................................................................... 282
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