Who is the first national hero of Jamaica?

Jamaica's first National Hero, Marcus Mosiah Garvey, was born in St. Ann's Bay, St. Ann, on August 17, 1887. In his youth Garvey migrated to Kingston, where he worked as a printer and later published a small paper "The Watchman".

During his career Garvey travelled extensively throughout many countries, observing the poor working and living conditions of black people.

Garvey's legacy can be summed up in the philosophy he taught – race pride, the need for African unity; self-reliance; the need for black people to be organised and for rulers to govern on behalf of the working classes.