PEMBROKE PINES – Jamaicans in the South Florida Diaspora continues to celebrate the life and legacy of the late cultural icon, Louise Bennett-Coverley, O.J., with the staging of the second annual the Louise Bennett-Coverley Reading Festival to be held on Sunday (Feb. 1) at 1:30 p.m., at the South Regional Broward Community College Library in Pembroke Pines.
Titled “Defining Miss Lou and Her Impact on Jamaicans” the festival is part of the Broward County Library Division activities to observe Black History Month during February.
Louise Bennett-Coverley, O.J. aka Ms. Lou
The event will feature a series of discussions on “Miss Lou and Pantomime”, “The Evolution of Jamaican Patois”, “the Impact of Louise Bennett-Coverley on the 60’s Generation”, and “Out of Many, One People.”
Panelists for the discussions will include playwright and journalist, Dr. Barbara Gloudon, O.D., O.J., author and poet, the Reverend Easton Lee, educators Dr. Susan Davis and Dr. Hyacinth McBean, with moderator being Dr. Marcia Magnus of Florida International University (FIU).
A supporting cast of Jamaican talent based in South Florida will headline a program of cultural performances by the Jamaica Folk Revue, the Tallawah Mento Band, Jean Powell’s Labrish and poet, Sophia Nicholson.
According to Library branch Manager, Ms. Valrie Simpson, the institution continues to honor world reknown figures for their outstanding contributions to international development. One such person, she continued, was Jamaica’s cultural ambassador for her immeasurable development to Jamaica’s culture and heritage.
Miss Lou died on July 26, 2006, in Toronto, Canada where she had resided for more than a decade. She was age 86 years old.
The event is free to the public.
