Strictly Facts: A Guide to Caribbean History and Culture

Send us a text message and tell us your thoughts. Before many of the formerly British Caribbean territories became independent nations, they attempted to create a political union known as the West Indian Federation. The short-lived union only lasted four years, but went on to influence future organizations for regional unity like the Caribbean Free Trade Association (CARIFTA), which later became t...

Send us a text message and tell us your thoughts. Caribbean carnival is one of the region's most famous annual celebrations comprised with lively music, dancing, and of course lavish costumes. Shauna Rigaud joins us this week to discuss carnival's history and the history of  Barbados' Crop Over festival. Shauna holds a BA in African American Studies from the University of Massachuse...

Send us a text message and tell us your thoughts. Our second "Big People Tings" highlight is Trinidadian Marxist, Black Feminist writer and political organizer Claudia Jones (1915-1964). Jones was one of the leading Black female organizers in the Communist Party in the USA and later went on to organize and celebrate the Afro-Caribbean community in the UK through her founding of the West...

Send us a text message and tell us your thoughts. Caribbean writers have undoubtedly left their mark on history. In this episode, we talk with  author Desiree C. Bailey about Caribbean literature, common themes that have inspired her story and her recently published book What Noise Against the Cane , which combines Caribbean history, music, and culture. Desiree C. Bailey is the author of What Nois...

Send us a text message and tell us your thoughts. Celebrate Caribbean American Heritage Month with us this June as we journey through movements of Caribbean people to the US in the latter twentieth century! Support the show Connect with Strictly Facts -   Instagram | Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | YouTube | Website Looking to read more about the topics covered in this episode? Subscribe to the ne...

Send us a text message and tell us your thoughts. "Big People Tings" is a new continuing series where we highlight an individual Caribbean changemaker and discuss their contributions to our history and future. For our first episode of the series, we discuss Guyanese-born public intellectual and Pan-Africanist Dr. Walter Rodney (1942-1980) who played an integral role in the Black Power mo...

Send us a text message and tell us your thoughts. The Caribbean is made up of a number of ethnic groups, mostly as a result of colonialism between the 18th and 20th centuries. To commemorate Indian Arrival Day throughout the Caribbean, this week's episode discusses the roots of Indian indentureship with doctoral student Cristine Khan and how connecting these histories is integral to Caribbean...

Send us a text message and tell us your thoughts. Class is in session! For this very brief episode, we recap major themes and takeaways from our first six episodes as part of our regular Review Sessions. With each Review Session, we ask you, our listeners, to fill out a brief survey on your thoughts and what you'd like to see from Strictly Facts moving forward.  Support the show Connect with...

Send us a text message and tell us your thoughts. Traditional or folk style and dress in the Caribbean has a long, intricate history that differs across the region. Speaking with textile researcher Lauren Baccus, we discuss folk style's early origins and its complicated evolution as a staple of cultural celebrations today. Let us know your thoughts via the Voicemail feature on our website! La...

Send us a text message and tell us your thoughts. Dialects, creoles, patwa/patois, there are so many names for languages spoken in the Caribbean. Caribbean languages have been historically degraded in favor of the colonial position that has long advocated for "standard" English over our own native tongues. Speaking with linguistics expert Dr. Joseph T. Farquharson, we discuss how these l...

Send us a text message and tell us your thoughts. Religion is an integral part of Caribbean history and culture, some of which were introduced as a result of colonization and enslavement and others that are syncretic religions, or made up of a combination of religions. In this episode, Dr. Aliyah Khan and I discuss a handful of Caribbean religions, the influence of music and culture, and her recen...

Send us a text message and tell us your thoughts. This episode of Strictly Facts charts just some of the connections between the Caribbean and its diaspora as a result of slavery and migration. This episode charts both direct and indirect connections to places London, New York, Louisiana, and the southeast US coast to discuss how West Indian culture and ideas has impacted different parts of the wo...

Send us a text message and tell us your thoughts. Caribbean geography is often defined by the Caribbean Sea, but our historical and cultural borders go well beyond these physical boundaries. In this episode, we talk about how to define the boundaries, inter-regional travel, and migration around the Caribbean with our very first guest, scholar Melanie White. Melanie White is an interdisciplinary sc...

Send us a text message and tell us your thoughts. Kicking off Black History month, this episode discusses the importance of oral storytelling in the Caribbean. From familial stories passed down through generations to historically significant folktales, oral histories are not only one of the earliest forms of historical narratives, but this form of storytelling features details often left out of hi...

Send us a text message and tell us your thoughts. Strictly Facts: A Guide to Caribbean History and Culture is a podcast and educational platform that aims to educate and celebrate Caribbean history through our art and music, hosted by Alexandria Miller. Subscribe now to get our very first episode when it launches on February 3rd to kick off Black History Month. Support the show Connect with Strict...