National Heroes Park
Encyclopedia
National Heroes Park is a botanical garden
in Kingston, Jamaica
. The largest open space in Kingston at 20 hectare
s in size, National Heroes Park features numerous monuments, and is the burial site of many of Jamaica's National Hero
es, Prime Minister
s, and cultural leaders.
called "Kingston Race Course", which featured a one-mile track used for horse races, with a typical purse of 100 pounds sterling
. In 1905, a new track was constructed at Knutsford Park, and the old track was renamed "George VI Memorial Park" in honor of King George VI of the United Kingdom
and converted into a public park. After Jamaica gained independence in 1962, the park's name was changed again to the name it currently bears
taking place every hour. Jamaica's Ministry of Local Government, Community Development and Sport is responsible for the renovations currently taking place at the park.
honoring the Jamaicans killed in combat during World War I
and World War II
, is a prominent feature of the park. The memorial, which was constructed in 1922, was initially located on Church Street in downtown Kingston, but in 1953 it was moved to its present location. It is topped by a cross
weighing one and a half ton
s.
One of the park's first original monuments was constructed to house the remains of Marcus Garvey
. Garvey died on June 10, 1940 in London
, but transporting the remains from England
was unfeasible at that time due to World War II. As a result, his body was buried in England until 1964, when the government of Jamaica paid to have it transported to the park for a ceremony honoring Garvey as a national hero. Garvey's monument consists of a tomb at the center of a raised platform in the shape of a black star, a symbol often used by Garvey. Behind it, a peaked and angled wall houses a bust of Garvey, which had been added to the park in 1956 and relocated after the construction of the monument. The monument was designed by G. C. Hodges, while the bust was the work of Alvin T. Marriot.
After Donald Sangster
died in 1967, Mostyn F. Campbell designed a monument in his honor. The monument consists of an opposed pair of curved members, turning inward and wider at the top than at the novel base. The expansion of the members symbolizes Sangster's development from humble origins, while their separation is meant to suggest the unfinished nature of his life's work.
Another monument was constructed to honor Norman Manley
. Designed by H. D. Repole, it was dedicated on September 16, 1972. The monument contains twelve pillars, arranged in two concentric circles, with the inner pillars taller than the outer ones. Each inner pillar is connected to its corresponding outer pillar by a horizontal member, and the inner pillars are also connected partway up by a ring. Manley's tomb is located at the center, topped by a six-pointed star. Each pair of pillars represents an aspect of Manley's life, and Repole's original design called for plaques describing these aspects to be affixed to each pillar assemblage. This plan was not completed, however, due to financial constraints. Instead, sculptures of two human figures were incorporated into the design in 1974. Designed by Christopher Gonzalez, these sculptures depict a male and a female, which are meant to symbolize the birth of a unified nation.
Sir Alexander Bustamante
is honored with a memorial completed in October 1979. Designer Errol Alberga created an arch, narrow at the top and widening toward the base, which stands above Bustamante's tomb, finished with marble from the region. Seats are incorporated into the base of the arch, which spans a gap of thirty feet.
Two monuments to historical figures were dedicated on October 14, 1999. The first of these honors Nanny of the Maroons, a female warrior of Asante descent who waged a guerrilla
campaign against the British during the First Maroon War
. Nanny's monument reproduces the sound of the abeng
, a traditional instrument used by the fighters. The second is dedicated to Samuel Sharpe
, the leader of the Christmas Uprising (a.k.a. the Baptist War
), a slave revolt that took place in 1831. Sharp's monument is shaped like a Greek cross, to honor his Baptist
faith, and its corners are left open as a representation of freedom. Both of these monuments were designed by Compass Workshop Limited.
A monument to Michael Manley
was dedicated on March 15, 2002. Designed by Mark and Susan Taylor, the monument resembles a graph of exponential growth
when viewed from the side. Its surface is covered with slabs of black Jamaican marble, some of which are engraved with quotes by Manley on the subject of equality.
A bust of General Antonio Maceo
was added as a donation from the people of Cuba
, in recognition of Jamaica having offered him asylum.
The park is also the burial site for 140 elderly women killed in a fire at the Myers Ward of the Eventide Home for the Aged in 1980. A monument marks the mass grave
containing the women's remains.
on December 5, 1976, performed by reggae superstars Bob Marley & The Wailers
. The second Smile Jamaica Concert was held February 10, 2007.
As of 2006, only the first phase of construction has been completed, with most work to this point focusing on irrigation, parking, and lighting, with some additional work on the gardens and the Eventide memorial. The project's slow pace has been attributed to financial difficulties, as well as administrative changes in the government personnel overseeing the renovations. Funding was to be provided by the government, the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica, and private donors, but private donations have been scarce due to the park's close proximity to several depressed neighborhoods and high-crime ares.
The Jamaica National Heritage Trust
announced plans for a monument to Hugh Shearer in 2006. The monument will be located near those of Michael Manley and Donald Sangster, and its design will be determined by an open competition.
Botanical garden
A botanical garden The terms botanic and botanical, and garden or gardens are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word botanic is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is a well-tended area displaying a wide range of plants labelled with their botanical names...
in Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
. The largest open space in Kingston at 20 hectare
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
s in size, National Heroes Park features numerous monuments, and is the burial site of many of Jamaica's National Hero
Order of National Hero
Order of National Hero may refer to:*Order of National Hero *Order of the People's Hero...
es, Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Jamaica
The Prime Minister of Jamaica is Jamaica's head of government, currently Andrew Holness. Andrew Holness was elected as the new leader of the governing Jamaica Labour Party and succeeded Bruce Golding to become Jamaica's ninth Prime Minister on 23 October 2011...
s, and cultural leaders.
History
Founded in 1783, the park was originally a race trackRace track
A race track is a purpose-built facility for racing of animals , automobiles, motorcycles or athletes. A race track may also feature grandstands or concourses. Some motorsport tracks are called speedways.A racetrack is a permanent facility or building...
called "Kingston Race Course", which featured a one-mile track used for horse races, with a typical purse of 100 pounds sterling
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
. In 1905, a new track was constructed at Knutsford Park, and the old track was renamed "George VI Memorial Park" in honor of King George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI of the United Kingdom
George VI was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death...
and converted into a public park. After Jamaica gained independence in 1962, the park's name was changed again to the name it currently bears
Administration
National Heroes Park is currently maintained by the Parks Division of Jamaica's National Solid Waste Management Authority. Security is provided by a formal honour guard from the Jamaican Defence Force, with a Changing of the GuardGuard Mounting
Guard Mounting, or Changing the Guard , refers to a formal ceremony in which sentries providing ceremonial guard duties at important institutions are relieved by a new batch of sentries...
taking place every hour. Jamaica's Ministry of Local Government, Community Development and Sport is responsible for the renovations currently taking place at the park.
Monuments
The Jamaica War Memorial, a cenotaphCenotaph
A cenotaph is an "empty tomb" or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been interred elsewhere. The word derives from the Greek κενοτάφιον = kenotaphion...
honoring the Jamaicans killed in combat during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, is a prominent feature of the park. The memorial, which was constructed in 1922, was initially located on Church Street in downtown Kingston, but in 1953 it was moved to its present location. It is topped by a cross
Cross
A cross is a geometrical figure consisting of two lines or bars perpendicular to each other, dividing one or two of the lines in half. The lines usually run vertically and horizontally; if they run obliquely, the design is technically termed a saltire, although the arms of a saltire need not meet...
weighing one and a half ton
Ton
The ton is a unit of measure. It has a long history and has acquired a number of meanings and uses over the years. It is used principally as a unit of weight, and as a unit of volume. It can also be used as a measure of energy, for truck classification, or as a colloquial term.It is derived from...
s.
One of the park's first original monuments was constructed to house the remains of Marcus Garvey
Marcus Garvey
Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Jr., ONH was a Jamaican publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, and orator who was a staunch proponent of the Black Nationalism and Pan-Africanism movements, to which end he founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League...
. Garvey died on June 10, 1940 in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, but transporting the remains from England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
was unfeasible at that time due to World War II. As a result, his body was buried in England until 1964, when the government of Jamaica paid to have it transported to the park for a ceremony honoring Garvey as a national hero. Garvey's monument consists of a tomb at the center of a raised platform in the shape of a black star, a symbol often used by Garvey. Behind it, a peaked and angled wall houses a bust of Garvey, which had been added to the park in 1956 and relocated after the construction of the monument. The monument was designed by G. C. Hodges, while the bust was the work of Alvin T. Marriot.
After Donald Sangster
Donald Sangster
Sir Donald Burns Sangster was a Jamaican politician and the second Prime Minister of Jamaica. He entered politics in 1933 at the age of 21 with his election to the council of the Parish of St Elizabeth, Jamaica...
died in 1967, Mostyn F. Campbell designed a monument in his honor. The monument consists of an opposed pair of curved members, turning inward and wider at the top than at the novel base. The expansion of the members symbolizes Sangster's development from humble origins, while their separation is meant to suggest the unfinished nature of his life's work.
Another monument was constructed to honor Norman Manley
Norman Manley
Norman Washington Manley MM QC National Hero of Jamaica , was a Jamaican statesman. A Rhodes Scholar, Manley became one of Jamaica's leading lawyers in the 1920s...
. Designed by H. D. Repole, it was dedicated on September 16, 1972. The monument contains twelve pillars, arranged in two concentric circles, with the inner pillars taller than the outer ones. Each inner pillar is connected to its corresponding outer pillar by a horizontal member, and the inner pillars are also connected partway up by a ring. Manley's tomb is located at the center, topped by a six-pointed star. Each pair of pillars represents an aspect of Manley's life, and Repole's original design called for plaques describing these aspects to be affixed to each pillar assemblage. This plan was not completed, however, due to financial constraints. Instead, sculptures of two human figures were incorporated into the design in 1974. Designed by Christopher Gonzalez, these sculptures depict a male and a female, which are meant to symbolize the birth of a unified nation.
Sir Alexander Bustamante
Alexander Bustamante
Sir William Alexander Clarke Bustamante GBE, National Hero of Jamaica was a Jamaican politician and labour leader....
is honored with a memorial completed in October 1979. Designer Errol Alberga created an arch, narrow at the top and widening toward the base, which stands above Bustamante's tomb, finished with marble from the region. Seats are incorporated into the base of the arch, which spans a gap of thirty feet.
Two monuments to historical figures were dedicated on October 14, 1999. The first of these honors Nanny of the Maroons, a female warrior of Asante descent who waged a guerrilla
Guerrilla warfare
Guerrilla warfare is a form of irregular warfare and refers to conflicts in which a small group of combatants including, but not limited to, armed civilians use military tactics, such as ambushes, sabotage, raids, the element of surprise, and extraordinary mobility to harass a larger and...
campaign against the British during the First Maroon War
First Maroon War
The First Maroon War was a conflict between the Jamaican Maroons and the British in Jamaica which reached a climax in 1731.-Background:In 1655, the British defeated the Spanish colonists and took control of most of Jamaica...
. Nanny's monument reproduces the sound of the abeng
Abeng
Abeng is a novel related to Maroons published in 1984 by Michelle Cliff. It is a quasi-autobiographical novel about a mixed-race Jamaican girl named Clare Savage growing up in the 1950s. It explores the historical repression resulting from British imperialism in Jamaica...
, a traditional instrument used by the fighters. The second is dedicated to Samuel Sharpe
Samuel Sharpe
Samuel 'Sam' Sharpe, or Sharp, National Hero of Jamaica was the slave leader behind the Jamaican Baptist War slave rebellion. Samuel Sharpe was born in the parish of St. James...
, the leader of the Christmas Uprising (a.k.a. the Baptist War
Baptist War
The Baptist War, also known as the Christmas Uprising and the Great Jamaican Slave Revolt of 1831–32, was a 10-day rebellion that mobilized as many as 60,000 of Jamaica's 300,000 slave population...
), a slave revolt that took place in 1831. Sharp's monument is shaped like a Greek cross, to honor his Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
faith, and its corners are left open as a representation of freedom. Both of these monuments were designed by Compass Workshop Limited.
A monument to Michael Manley
Michael Manley
Michael Norman Manley ON OCC was the fourth Prime Minister of Jamaica . Manley was a democratic socialist....
was dedicated on March 15, 2002. Designed by Mark and Susan Taylor, the monument resembles a graph of exponential growth
Exponential growth
Exponential growth occurs when the growth rate of a mathematical function is proportional to the function's current value...
when viewed from the side. Its surface is covered with slabs of black Jamaican marble, some of which are engraved with quotes by Manley on the subject of equality.
A bust of General Antonio Maceo
Antonio Maceo
Antonio Maceo may refer to:*Antonio Maceo Grajales, commander in the Cuban revolutionary army*Antonio Maceo, a municipality of Santiago de Cuba named for the general*Antonio Maceo Airport, serving Santiago de Cuba...
was added as a donation from the people of Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, in recognition of Jamaica having offered him asylum.
The park is also the burial site for 140 elderly women killed in a fire at the Myers Ward of the Eventide Home for the Aged in 1980. A monument marks the mass grave
Mass grave
A mass grave is a grave containing multiple number of human corpses, which may or may not be identified prior to burial. There is no strict definition of the minimum number of bodies required to constitute a mass grave, although the United Nations defines a mass grave as a burial site which...
containing the women's remains.
Burial sites
The remains of the following notable people are interred at National Heroes Park:- Dennis BrownDennis BrownDennis Emmanuel Brown 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 lovers rock, a sub-genre of reggae...
- Sir Alexander BustamanteAlexander BustamanteSir William Alexander Clarke Bustamante GBE, National Hero of Jamaica was a Jamaican politician and labour leader....
- Marcus GarveyMarcus GarveyMarcus Mosiah Garvey, Jr., ONH was a Jamaican publisher, journalist, entrepreneur, and orator who was a staunch proponent of the Black Nationalism and Pan-Africanism movements, to which end he founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association and African Communities League...
- Michael ManleyMichael ManleyMichael Norman Manley ON OCC was the fourth Prime Minister of Jamaica . Manley was a democratic socialist....
- Norman ManleyNorman ManleyNorman Washington Manley MM QC National Hero of Jamaica , was a Jamaican statesman. A Rhodes Scholar, Manley became one of Jamaica's leading lawyers in the 1920s...
- Donald SangsterDonald SangsterSir Donald Burns Sangster was a Jamaican politician and the second Prime Minister of Jamaica. He entered politics in 1933 at the age of 21 with his election to the council of the Parish of St Elizabeth, Jamaica...
- Hugh ShearerHugh ShearerHugh Lawson Shearer, ON, OJ, PC was the third Prime Minister of Jamaica, from 1967 to 1972.Born in Martha Brae, Trelawny Parish, Jamaica, near the sugar and banana growing areas, Shearer attended St Simon's College after winning a parish scholarship to the school.In 1941 he took a job on the staff...
- Ranny Williams
- Paul BoglePaul BoglePaul Bogle was a Jamaican Baptist deacon and is a National Hero of Jamaica. He was a leader of the 1865 Morant Bay Protests, which agitated for justice and fair treatment for all in Jamaica. Leading the Morant Bay rebellion, he was captured and hanged on October 24,1865 in the Morant Bay Court...
- Samuel SharpeSamuel SharpeSamuel 'Sam' Sharpe, or Sharp, National Hero of Jamaica was the slave leader behind the Jamaican Baptist War slave rebellion. Samuel Sharpe was born in the parish of St. James...
- Lady BustamanteGladys BustamanteGladys Bustamante, OJ, was a Jamaican workers' and women's rights activist and the widow of Jamaica's first Prime Minister, Sir Alexander Bustamante...
- Herb McKenleyHerb McKenleyCompetitor for JamaicaHerbert Henry "Herb" McKenley OM was a Jamaican athlete, winner of a gold medal in the 4x400 m relay at the 1952 Summer Olympics....
- Louise Bennett-CoverleyLouise Bennett-CoverleyLouise Simone Bennett-Coverley or Miss Lou, OM, OJ, MBE was a Jamaican folklorist, writer, and educator. She was born in Kingston, Jamaica and attended Ebenezer and Calabar Elementary Schools, St...
- Mallica "Kapo" Reynolds
Culture venue
The National Heroes Park was the venue of the Smile Jamaica ConcertSmile Jamaica Concert
The Smile Jamaica Concert was a concert held on December 5, 1976, at the National Heroes Park, Kingston, Jamaica, performed by Bob Marley & The Wailers. Only 2 days after Marley had almost been killed by gunmen in his house, but survived and was driven up in the Blue Mountains...
on December 5, 1976, performed by reggae superstars Bob Marley & The Wailers
Bob Marley & The Wailers
Bob Marley & The Wailers were a Jamaican reggae, ska and rocksteady band formed by Bob Marley, Peter Tosh and Bunny Wailer in 1963. Additional members were Junior Braithwaite, Beverley Kelso, Cherry Smith and Aston and Carlton Barrett...
. The second Smile Jamaica Concert was held February 10, 2007.
Redevelopment
National Heroes Park is currently undergoing a series of major renovations. Plans for alterations to the park had been discussed as far back as 1998, but it was not until 2000 that a plan was formally announced. The initial plan called for four phases of construction and a total project cost of $200 million, but delays in work have increased the estimated final cost has to $250 million. The plan calls for the division of the park into four zones: an amphitheatre for formal and cultural activities, a nature area with shade trees, an outdoor activity and recreation area with tracks and playgrounds, and a combined administrative and sports complex.As of 2006, only the first phase of construction has been completed, with most work to this point focusing on irrigation, parking, and lighting, with some additional work on the gardens and the Eventide memorial. The project's slow pace has been attributed to financial difficulties, as well as administrative changes in the government personnel overseeing the renovations. Funding was to be provided by the government, the Environmental Foundation of Jamaica, and private donors, but private donations have been scarce due to the park's close proximity to several depressed neighborhoods and high-crime ares.
The Jamaica National Heritage Trust
Jamaica National Heritage Trust
The Jamaica National Heritage Trust is responsible for the promotion, preservation, and development of Jamaica's material cultural heritage .The organisation maintains a list of National Heritage Sites in Jamaica....
announced plans for a monument to Hugh Shearer in 2006. The monument will be located near those of Michael Manley and Donald Sangster, and its design will be determined by an open competition.