Rene L. Lambert | The psychological and social history of Jamaica and African Americans in America

Study a country's customs and it will tell you so much about its people and its cultural norms. Examine its history and it will tell you a lot about its past, its current state and the intended direction of its people. This may also give insight into why the citizens of that particular nation socialise the way that they do.

The history of the countries of people's upbringing has a lot to do with the way present citizens interact with each other in their society. Two such nations are Jamaica and the United States of America.

Comparisons could be made between different countries in the world, but for the sake of this conversation, the United States and Jamaica will be examined. Both Jamaica and the United States of America share similar historical roots, but they also share very distinctive characteristics, historically.

In 1865, the United States of America abolished slavery, but it was not without a fight. It was a result of the civil war which was fought by the north and the south. Prior to this era, it was blatantly legal to own slaves and use them for labour. People of African descent and other people groups were vastly outnumbered by European Americans, this caused a naturally unnatural oppression of black people, even though slavery was supposedly abolished.

Slavery was abolished in Jamaica in August of 1834. This is approximately 30 years prior to the United States. The enslaved African people of Jamaica as well as other oppressed groups vastly outnumbered European Jamaicans. This resulted in many slave revolts and rebellions at times. The Jamaican heroes and heroine, Marcus Garvey, Paul Bogle, Nanny of the Maroons, as well as many others who have been recognized as national heroes or just had a strong impact on the country’s history, have shaped the way the Jamaican culture is today – post emancipation and independence.

African Americans and other minorities in America have always been taunted with the fact that they are the minority population. African Americans in particular have never had the experience of being just another human being in a country where their ethnic group and culture is interwoven into the fabric of society to the fullest extent.

In Jamaica however, its people have had multiple prime ministers of African descent, including one woman, The Most Honourable Portia Simpson-Miller. In fact, she served as Prime Minister of Jamaica twice. Her first term ran from 2006 to 2007. Her second term spanned from 2012 to 2016.

One could argue that seeing such a woman in power, as well as many other prime ministers who were of African descent, would have had a tremendously positive psychological impact on the Jamaican people, both young and old.

CONFORMING TO THE REALITIES OF THEIR PERSUASION

In Jamaica, it is not unheard of for people who are of minority groups (as it is called in the United States) to be in power. While in the United States, a person who is not of European descent being in power and having affluence can be seen as a major accomplishment for minorities in the 21st century.

It can be psychologically discouraging to be a person who is considered a minority in the United States, especially if one moved here from a country where the minority population was actually the majority. Conforming to this norm, however, may not have a huge impact on one's self-esteem, especially if their sense of self is rooted in the country's culture of which they immigrated from. The conformity to such a culture may not have such a strong impact on the individual, therefore the persuasion that they are truly less than other groups may not be embedded in their psyche as much.

An African American who doesn't have the same historical and psychological foundation as a Jamaican national, however, may succumb to the narrative presented to them by the wider American society. They may feel as though they have no other choice but to conform to the rules and narrative of what it means to be African Americans. This can be true even if history has shown other African Americans who rose to excellence. In this case, they are persuaded of their place in society, therefore, they conform to the realities of their persuasion.

The African American people have seen many atrocities throughout the years, such as the burning down of Black Wall Street in Tulsa, Oklahoma. They witnessed the assassination of John F. Kennedy in 1963 just because he was a Democrat who wanted an America for all.

Martin Luther King was assassinated in 1968 because he was doing the work of a Civil Rights Activist. Malcom X, another Civil Rights Activist, was assassinated just three years prior to when Martin Luther King was killed.

It is not illogical to assume that many other activists who we may not have known about died by force for the same cause, especially in prior and subsequent years. It certainly would have affected the African American psyche.

The most recent killing of George Floyd by a white cop, and the reference to the first African American president and first lady as apes in a jungle by the sitting president does reinforce the notion of African Americans being minorities in a very significant way.

USING REGGAE TO SPEAK OUT AGAINST OPPRESSION

In stark contrast, the Jamaican people throughout the years have witnessed atrocities, but this is also the country of which reggae originated. Reggae music has been a genre used to speak out against the oppression of black people for many years. The world renowned Bob Marley often sang songs that challenged the notion of white supremacy and his music permeated and shaped the culture of Jamaican music.

Marcus Garvey, who was a global pan-Africanist, did the same but through preaching and organising the political activities that would challenge the Jamaican people as well as black people outside of Jamaica. There are many other Jamaicans who stood up to racism and were not killed solely because they were trying to make the world a better place.

The people of these two nations may socialise with each other in different ways because of the history that preceded their present realities. In America, African Americans as well as other minorities may not be as enthusiastic to relate to their European American counterparts because of the atrocities they have witnessed throughout the years. One may even argue that the oppression is still happening today in another form.

While in stark contrast, Jamaicans of African and other ancestral origins may have little to no animosities with Jamaicans of European descent because there is not much historical and modern day reason to be at ethnic contention. There may be some signs in society that the Jamaican people have a colonial past in today's modern Jamaica, but it is very much implicit, therefore not resulting in widespread ethnic contention.

This ties into the fabric of the social identity theory because Jamaicans and African Americans see themselves as outsiders see them. They also see themselves in light of how they define their own group. The history of both people groups in the context of the world as it is today also contributes to their social identity. This can impact how members of the groups see themselves individually and collectively.

The history of a country certainly impacts how its people interact with each other in the present. This reality can also impact how people interact with each other in the future. Psychological impacts as well as the social realities of a country's customs and culture have a lot to do with the foundation of the nation.

If one studies the history of Jamaica as well as the history of America – American Americans in particular – one can understand exactly why their cultures may differ even when it seems similar historically.

- - Rene L. Lambert was born in Jamaica and moved to the USA with her family at 17. Rene is a young lady with spastic quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy and is a passionate student, pursuing psychology and journalism, author of ‘Uphill Climb -: Cerebral Palsy Adventures’. She enjoys writing, reading, listening to music, and socialising. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com