The Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) is spearheading more than a dozen tributes across the island this September to salute Louise Bennett-Coverley, affectionately known as Miss Lou.
The celebrations, marking her 106th birthday anniversary, span lunch hour concerts, library exhibitions, dub poetry, and Mini Miss Lou competitions.
“Every year Jamaicans mark Miss Lou’s birthday on September 7, often with a gathering at her shrine in National Heroes Park. While that was not possible this year, the JCDC has maintained the tradition of celebrating her legacy throughout the month of September,” said Lenford Salmon, JCDC executive director.
“At 106, her legacy still inspires pride in our language, humour, and resilience. What excites me is seeing young people step into her shoes, and through digital components like the Online Poetry Competitions in Clarendon and Manchester, and the Mini Miss Lou and Mass Ran Look-Alike contests. We are widening the reach and seeing strong participation,” he added.
The JCDC has also strengthened its partnership with Jamaica Library Service (JLS), ensuring Miss Lou’s legacy is celebrated in community spaces across the island. As part of this collaboration, the Kingston & St Andrew leg of the Miss Lou Lunch Hour Concert earlier this month brought together students and seasoned performers in a vibrant showcase of her influence.
“The JLS is proud to continue our collaboration with the JCDC in recognition of the Honourable Louise Bennett-Coverley, whose work remains at the heart of Jamaica’s cultural identity and storytelling tradition,” said Fiona Hutchinson, senior librarian. “Our Kingston & St Andrew concert was especially inspiring… showing just how alive Miss Lou’s spirit remains in our music, speech, and laughter.”
Marjorie Leyden-Kirton, director of Community Cultural Development Services Division at JCDC, added: “Miss Lou belongs to every Jamaican; from the smallest child reciting her poems to the communities who gather in her name. This year’s parish-level celebrations, from Ring Ding tributes in Montego Bay and St Mary to look-alike contests in Westmoreland, show that her influence is alive in every parish, every classroom, and every stage.”
