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PHOTO FLASHBACK: The visit of Emperor Haile Selassie I to Jamaica in 1966

Published:Wednesday | April 20, 2016 | 12:00 AM
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His Imperial Majesty Emperor Haile Selassie inspects a guard of honour of the 1st Batallion, Jamaica Regiment at the Montego Bay airportshortly before his departure. Escorting him is Major Leslie Lloyd.
GUESTS at the reception represented many sections of the community.
Prince Edwards of the Ethiopian-African National Congress being presented to Emperor Haile Selassie at King's House yesterday monring and reeciving a souvenier gold medal. Behind the Emperor is His Excellency the Governor General, Sir Clifford Campbell.
His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I.
SELASSIE SPEAKS: Emperor Haile Selassie addressing loyal troops yesterday at Jubilee Palace in Addis Ababa, following a revolt by Ethiopia's armed services for better wages. The revolt, stemming from a pay dispute, has spread to most of Ethiopia's Army, Navy and Air Force, bringing the armed forces to brink of a full-scale confrontation with Selassie.
Haile Selassie (third right) on his historic visit to Jamaica on April 23, 1966.
Her Royal Highness Emebet Sofia Oeste converses with Professor David Stewart of the UWI, Mrs. Stewart, and Mrs Winston Swaby (centre).
Their Faces reflecting the wild scenes at the airport two ministers their wives wait for a ceremony that never began: from left The Hon. EdwinAllen and Mrs. Allen; the Hon. Edward Seaga and Mrs. Seaga.
One of the groups of school children who performed at the National Stadium for the Emperor Haile Selassie visit.
EMPTY, TOPPLED, TWISTED CHAIRS: The shambles of a ceremony that violence marred at Spanish Town when Emperor Haile Selassie paused for the first rail stop of his journey to Montego Bay.
HER ROYAL HIGHNESS: Emebet Sofia Oeste converses with Professor David Stewart of the UWI, Mrs Stewart, and Mrs Winston Swaby (centre).
The grace of a real swan is captured in this sculptured ice replica which decorated one of the tables for the Royal reception.
Emperor Haile Selassie historic visit to Jamaica on April 23, 1966.
Children and big people flocked on high perches behind Gordon House to see the Emperor as he passed on Friday morning.
Disappointed: A section of the large crowd which waited in vain in West Kingston on April 22, 1966, for the arrival of His Imperial Majesty, Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia. His Majesty was scheduled to lay the cornerstone for a new preparatory school, but announcement over the public address system said the Emperor’s visit had been cancelled at the last moment because of “pressure of work”.
View of the vast company which gathered at the University of the West Indies to witness the conferring of the degree of doctor of Laws of that institution on His Imperial Majesty Haile Selassie I.
One of the groups of school children who performed at the National Stadium for the Emperor Haile Selassie visit.
Welcome for Emperor: Thousands cram vantage points to see arrival.
His Imperial Majesty has a word for Justice Ronald Small while the Custos of Portland, Fred Jones, waits his turn to be presented during a reception at the Sheraton Hotel in 1966. Emperor Selassie's reception at Sheraton Hotel 1966.
Interpreters at right take down the speech of Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie as he addressed Parliament in Amharic at Gordon House in April 1966. On the throne with His Imperial Majesty is Jamaica's Governor General Sir Clifford Campbell. Seated at left is Lady Campbell, while at right is Major Trevor Johnson.
In this photograph taken on April 22, 1991 the Rasta community was in high spirits. It was the 25th anniversary of the visit of Haile Selassie to Jamaica. A procession of about 12 motor vehicles with chanting rastafarians beating drums and dressed in their red, green and gold colours, was seen on its way to Mandeville and Montego Bay. It was seen with at least one police outrider. 'Bongo Owen' is celebrated by the rasta community annually. However, this year's celebration is special as it marks the 25th anniversary of the visit of the Emperor to Jamaica
Flags, robes, regalia and the smiling faces of welcome along the royal route.
Crowd on Haile Selassie's 1966 visit to Jamaica.
Mrs V.C. Smith, wife of the Charge' d'Affaires interim of the Jamaican Embassy in Washington meeting Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia at a reception given by the Emperor on the occasion of his visit to the United States. Behind Mrs Smith and partly hidden is Mr Smith.
Emperor Haile Selassie signs the Visitors' Book during a function at Montpelier, St James in 1966.
Stephney School also performed at King’s House for the Emperor. They did an action song called West Indian Recollection.
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His imperial majesty, Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia, King of Kings, Conquering Lion of Judah, arrived in Jamaica on April 21, 1966 to a welcome of superlatives.

And he wept.

He cried as he stood on the steps of an aircraft of Ethiopian Airliner which had brought him from Trinidad and Tobago to Jamaica and surveyed the vast and uncontrollable crowd which had gathered at the Palisadoes Airport to greet him.

Visit go-jamaica.com/selassie/ to view a Gleaner Online Special - Looking back at the visit of The Emperor April 21, 1966