Island Archives

Betto Douglas was a slave born in St. Kitts who eventually became one of the drivers for the Abolition Act in 1833. Her fame came after she attempted to buy the freedom of her two sons from the Earl of Romney, and went to court on the matter reaching up to today’s version of the Privy Council- “The Colonial Courts” which eventually became an emblem for the freedom movement. We detail Douglas’ asto...

V.S Naipaul was a Trinidadian Nobel Peace Prize-winning writer and one of the masters of 20th-century literature. He was incredibly prolific, often publishing a book every year or two for much of his career. Naipaul gifted the world with “A House for Mr. Biswas” in 1961, highlighting his ability to tell people’s stories and blend their emotions with overarching symbolism and laser-sharp detail. We...

Episode 8- Maurice Bishop: ‘ Diamonds are Forever; Ready for Revolution’ Maurice Bishop was a Grenadian activist and political revolutionary who created the New Jewel Movement Political party in order to change the politics of Grenada. The year he started it, there were two riots in which Bishop was beaten and his father was even killed. He would eventually overthrow the Eric Gairy government and...

Episode 7- Joan Armatrading: ‘ A Nice Piece of Furniture Meets Love and Affection ’ Born in St. Kitts, Joan Armatrading is a talented songstress, composer, and performer. To date, she has released 20 studio albums as well as several other live albums and compilation tapes.  Armatrading is a three-time Grammy Award Nominee and two-time Brit Award Nominee as best female vocalist. We discuss her...

Episode 6- Walter Rodney: ‘ Rodney Riots; The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’ Dr. Walter Rodney was a preeminent Guyanese political activist, academic, historian, and orator. In 1968, the ‘Rodney Riots’ swept Jamaica after  Prime Minister Hugh Shearer banned Rodney from returning to his teaching post at UWI-Mona while he was away; eventually leading to several deaths and millions in damages...

Episode 5- Jamaica Kincaid: ‘ The Au Pair From Up Here; Jamaica in Antigua?’ Elaine Potter Richardson became known as Jamaica Kincaid partly so that the people of Antigua (where she was born and raised) wouldn’t know she was writing and described the change as a “way to do things without being the same person who couldn’t do them- the same person who had all these weights”. On today’s episode, we...

Episode 4- Bertil Fox: ‘ A Self-Fulfilling Prophecy: Brutal Bertil’ During the 70s and 80s, Bertil Fox was a prolific bodybuilder, bagging Mr. Universe twice as well as securing a top 5 finish in Mr. Olympia. “Brutal Bertil” as he was called, was not without controversy however later on he was implicated in a double murder after returning to St. Kitts (where he was born). This became a case that g...

Entry A-03: Sir Arthur Lewis: ‘ Currency Meets History; Who’s That Guy In Your Pocket? ’ Sir Arthur Lewis was a Nobel Peace Prize-winning economist who was born and raised in St. Lucia. He was a particularly interesting individual and a prodigy from an early age. On today’s episode, we cover how Lewis broke down the racial and economic barriers of his time with his sheer brilliance. Connect with T...

Entry A-02: Sidney Poitier ‘ From Negro Media to Just…Media’ Sidney Poitier was one of the most groundbreaking actors in history. Hailing from the Bahamas, h.  was the first black actor to receive an Academy award and became a star in American movies and plays which went against racial stereotypes, making black actors more respected in mainstream roles. On today’s episode we chronicle his lif...

The Island Archives Podcast is an audio series created to honor the Caribbean heroes and sheroes of the past and present, and highlight their immeasurable contributions in different areas and disciplines.  The goal is to feature their achievements by retelling their stories in an interesting engaging and insightful way, by blending humor, history, and highlights. We love those, "Ah ha" moment...

Entry A-01: Livingstone Bramble: ‘ Float Like a Butterfly, Sting like a Bramble’ Livingstone Bramble was a WBA lightweight champion born in St. Kitts. In 1984, he beat Ray “Boom-Boom” Mancini in a bout in which he was the HEAVY underdog. Bramble claimed that he beat Mancini with his mind before his fists, showing up at the pre-match press conference with a skull, a voodoo doll and his old basketba...