Jamaica
‘Like a jewel rising up out of the sea’
(Columbus’s journal entry, 1494)
This island is the other ‘character’ in
The Hearts of the Fathers
Silent, yet so loud. It’s a country that’s barely bigger than the State of Connecticut, yet with an influence, culturally and athletically, disproportionate to its size.
Shadowed by the spreading mango,
Nodding o’re the rippling stream,
Tell me, dear plant of my childhood,
Do you of the exile dream?
From “The Spanish Needle”
By Claude McKay—1889-1948
Born in Clarendon, Jamaica
Attended Tuskegee University & Kansas State University
A key figure in the Harlem Renaissance
Dedication
The Hearts of the Fathers is dedicated to
Amy & Hayes Oliveras
Thank you…
David & Leverne Brown
Ann Khim
Ann was the first person to proofread the manuscript, all 115k words—on hardcopy!
Sam Lightbourne
Sam did the second proofreading of the manuscript. He encouraged me, gave me technical assistance and was an excellent sounding board for my ideas.
Juliet Lewis
She is a friend who never let go of me—and I’m so thankful.
My cousin,
Thelma Hayes
We are related through our grandfather. Her mother, my Aunt Vida, never stopped caring for the many children left on her doorstep.
Extra thanks to Ben Field, my copy editor. He was efficient, proficient, and professional, and just an all around nice guy.
