Caribbean Biographical Project

Work on a series of biographies on Caribbean individuals began in 1981 with letters to authors telling them about the series and asking them to write about specific individuals. The first meeting of the Caribbean Biographical Project committee was in September 1992. The group wanted to correct what they perceived would be a future imbalance in the record of the presence of Caribbean people in Britain and the Caribbean. The project was to be both autobiographical and biographical. Prominent individuals were asked to record or give interviews about their experiences and authors were requested to write biographies.

The biographies were aimed at eight to thirteen year olds and were to be a maximum of 8700 words interspersed with sketches.

The committee was sub-divided into core groups which then went on to hold their own meetings.

Core groups and leaders:
Arts: June Baden-Semple, Oscar Abrams
Education: Waveney Bushell, Winston Best
Faith and Community Care: Hewlett Anrew, Sybil Phoenix
Health Care: June Baden-Semple, Lennox Thomas
Publishing: Eric Huntley, Jessica Huntley
Supplementary School Movement: Cicely Haynes-Hart, Ansell Wong

These individuals were highlighted for biographies or autobiographies: Claudia Jones, C L R James, Toussaint L'Ouverture, Louise Bennett, Walter Rodney, Tubal Uriah 'Buzz' Butler, Cipriani, Marcus Garvey, Paul Bogle, Marryshaw, Mary Secole, Franz Fanon, Constantine, Maurice Bishop, Audrey Jeffers, Althea Jones-La Cointe, Grantley Adams.

The group were concerned by the lack of women on the initial list and Rhoda Reddock at the University of the West Indies, Jamaica sent a list of Caribbean women.