Month-long tributes keep Miss Lou’s cultural legacy alive

The Jamaica Cultural Development Commission (JCDC) spearheaded more than a dozen tributes across the island this September to salute the Honourable 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, executive director of the JCDC.

“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 also strengthened its partnership with the 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 young 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 Louise Bennett-Coverley, whose work remains at the heart of Jamaica’s cultural identity and storytelling tradition,” said Fiona Hutchinson, senior librarian at the Kingston library. “Our Kingston & St. Andrew concert was especially inspiring, as both young people and seasoned performers paid tribute, 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 the 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.”

The parish library exhibitions will remain open until the end of the month, ensuring Miss Lou’s words, wit, and laughter continue to inspire Jamaicans of all ages. For details on local activities, Jamaicans are encouraged to contact their parish JCDC office and be part of Miss Lou’s living legacy.