Press Releases

The Barbados Museum & Historical Society is thrilled to announce the successful launch of the latest post-colonial discourse on contemporary Caribbean History, Heritage and politics entitled: Independence, Colonial Relics and Monuments in the Caribbean. Edited by esteemed scholars Allison O. Ramsay and Jerome TeeluckSingh, this pivotal work delves deep into the enduring impact of colonialism on the Caribbean, offering an essential exploration of the region's post-colonial identity.

The launch, held Tuesday, August 27^th, 2024 in the Museum’s Shop drew a diverse audience of academics, historians, and engaged citizens eager to explore the intricate layers of Caribbean history.

Ms. Alissandra Cummins, Director of the Barbados Museum & Historical Society, opened the event by emphasising the significance of the publication. “As a Museum Director and heritage person I enter this space with the mindset of the need for documentation and assemblage of the processes and products of these special kinds of projects on our landscape and in our mindscape… Allison Ramsay and Jerome Teelucksingh as editors of this new volume Independence, Colonial Relics, and Monuments in the Caribbean have with this work extended that analysis, indicating how monuments, places, spaces, place names, and even legislation have continued to carry that almost without conscious recognition into the contemporary era," she remarked. “I would like to thank the editors for bringing these critical knowledges and considerations and understandings to life… I also want to congratulate them for their outstanding work in bringing conscience and consciousness to the fore.”

Co-editor Allison O. Ramsay shared her insights during the event, expressing her enthusiasm for the project. "This book came about as a response to what was happening in 2020 and post-2020," Ramsay said. "The COVID-19 pandemic and the Black Lives Matter Movement created some measure of self-reflection, further scrutiny of heritage, questioning the interpretation of history and expressions of heritage; and so we wanted to know what were the Caribbean’s thoughts at that particular point in time and how do we want to reflect on notions of independence, colonialism, and monuments in a post-colonial world."

Jerome TeeluckSingh, co-editor, echoed these sentiments, adding, “Whilst working on this co-edited book, I began to have a greater appreciation of the elements of Caribbean nationhood. I also became more aware of the importance of words and ideas and a book to influence a movement and thinking of our citizens… as Senator King talked about, knowledge is power, it has always been so! Even before the slavery [and] indentership era."

The importance of the book was further underscored by the presence of Senator John King, Mr. Rodney Grant, and Mrs. Sheron Johnson, who praised the work for its relevance, timeliness, and necessity.

Independence, Colonial Relics, and Monuments in the Caribbean is a significant contribution to ongoing debates about culture, identity, and heritage in the post-colonial Caribbean.

With essays from the likes of well-known icons of Caribbean thought such as Professor Emerita Bridget Brereton, to other impressive essayists such as cultural policy specialist Dr Sheron Johnson and Timothy Affonso Director of the Caribbean Centre for Human Rights this book delivers a broad but rigorous analysis of the intrinsic link between the monuments of our past and the new symbolism of contemporary expressions of nationhood.

It is a must-read for anyone who wants to learn the history behind some of our more contested spaces and monuments as well as take the pulse of contemporary thought on how we connect with and portray our national spirit.

For more information about Independence, Colonial Relics, and Monuments in the Caribbean, or to purchase a copy, please contact us at projectcoordinator@barbmuse.org.bb.