Norman Washington Manley

Norman Washington Manley (born July 4, 1893 in Roxborough, Manchester Parish , Jamaica , † September 2, 1969 ) was a Jamaican politician. He is one of the island's seven national heroes; his full title is The Right Excellent Norman Washington Manley . Together with Alexander Bustamante he campaigned for universal suffrage; however, his greatest achievement was independence from the United Kingdom .

Manley founded the left-wing People's National Party (PNP) with Bustamante in 1938 , which later joined the Trade Union Congress and the National Workers' Union. He led the party in all elections from 1944 to 1967. Your efforts resulted in a constitutional amendment in 1944 that guaranteed universal suffrage. He was Chief Ministers from February 2, 1955 to April 29, 1962. His successor was Bustamante, who was the first prime minister to rule.

Life

Manley's family included people from different ethnic groups, both European and African. As a young man he was an excellent student. He studied law at Jesus College, Oxford on a Rhodes Scholarship . During World War I he fought in the British West Indies Regiment on the side of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, then he returned to Jamaica, where he worked as a barrister . He supported a group of banana farmers who wanted to take the export of their products into their own hands by founding a trading company. Part of the proceeds should be used for charity.

During the unrest of 1938 he stood up for the interests of the workers. He and the PNP supported the trade union movement now led by Bustamante , the main goal being universal suffrage. They reached their destination in 1944, but it was more than ten years before Manley was elected head of government in 1955. He remained in office as chief minister until independence from the United Kingdom was finally achieved in 1962.

Manley advocated Jamaica joining the West Indian Federation , which was rejected by Bustamante. A referendum refused to join. Manley now campaigned for a constitutional amendment that aimed at Jamaica's independence. He headed a related committee that successfully negotiated with the United Kingdom.

Despite the success, Manley lost the 1962 election and had to go into the opposition. He was a member of parliament until a few weeks before his death on September 2, 1969. Shortly before his death, he was declared a national hero, along with Bustamante. Various places and buildings were named after him, including the Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston . He is depicted on the five dollar coin. His son Michael Manley became Prime Minister in 1972.

Web links

• Biography Manley on the side of the Ministry of Education (English)