More Caribbean Heritage Month Facts

Entertainers of Caribbean Heritage:
Wyclef Jean- Haiti- DOB 10/17/72
Best Known for: Hip-Hop Superstar. One of the most important personalities in Hip-Hop music, He first entered the spotlight in 1993 with the release of the Fugees debut LP. The groups name was inspired by the plight of refugees from 1996s The Score was a huge success selling over 6 million copies and earning 2 Grammy Awards for Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal (Killing Me Softly) and Best Rap Album.

Garcelle Beauvais-Haiti- DOB 11/26/66
Best Known for: Television and Film roles. Co-star of the Jamie Foxx Show. After a successful runway career (she is 5’9) she made her first Television appearance on Miami Vice playing a rape victim. Her next role was as Dt. Huxtable’s nurse on The Cosby Show. She also appeared on several other Television series such as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Dream On, Hangin' with Mr. Cooper and Family Matters. She also guest-starred on HBO's Arli$$.. She is most well known for starring in The Jamie Foxx Show .

Caryl Phillips - Saint Kitts Nevis- DOB 3/13/58
Best Known for: Author / Educator / Playwrite. Phillips has written numerous scripts for film, theatre, radio, and television. He is the author of several novels including; The Final Passage, A State of Independence, Higher Ground, Cambridge, The Nature of Blood, and one previous book of non-fiction, The European Tribe. The New York Times Book Review said that Phillips has taken "a firm step toward joining the company of the literary giants of our time.” His awards include the Martin Luther King Memorial Prize, a Guggenheim Fellowship, and the James Tait Black Memorial Prize among others.

Atheletes of Caribbean Heritage:
Patrick Ewing- Jamaica- DOB 8/5/1962
Best Known for: Professional Basketball Played for New York Knicks, Seattle Supersonics, & Orlando Magic. He owns most of the important Knicks' all-time records by having the most points, rebounds, blocks, steals and both field goals and free throw attempts

Ato Boldon (DOB): 12/30/73-Trinidad and Tobago
Best Known for: Four-Time Olympic medalist He made his Olympic debut in the 1992 games in Barcelona, he did not win any Olympic medals that year, however he would later win 2 gold medals in the 100 and 200 meters at the World Junior Championships in Seoul, South Korea, an unprecedented feat, as no-one in history had ever before won these two coveted titles in the same meet. In his second Olympic performance (1996), Ato became a double-medallist, taking bronze the 100 and 200 meter dashes. In 1997 he won his first World Title at the World Championships in the 200 meter dash. In 1998, He wins the Goodwill Games 200m, and sets a new meet record in winning the 100m Commonwealth Title. At season's end, his 1998 SEASON 100m average is under 10 seconds flat, a first for any sprinter. In 2000 at the Sydney Olympics he won a silver and a bronze medal.

Tim Duncan- Virgin Islands- DOB 4/25/76
Best Known for: 1999 NBA Champion with the San Antonio Spurs. Tim was the first pick in the 1997 NBA draft. By season end Tim was voted as Rookie of the Year and was the only rookie selected for the 1998 All-Star game. A NBA championship would follow in his 2nd season (1999). Duncan continues to play in the number 21 jersey as a power forward for the San Antonio Spurs.

Famous Firsts:
Sir Lynden Oscar PindlingDOB 3/22/30 Death 8/26/00
Best Known for: The First Prime Minister of the Bahamas.

Eric Gairy (DOB): 2/18/1922 Died: 8/23/97
Best Known for: First Prime Minister of Grenada

Cheddi Jagan Date of Birth (DOB): 3/22/1918 Died: 3/6/97
Best Known for: First Premier of Guyana

Alexandre Gregoire (DOB): 8/29/1922 Died: 7/28/01B
Best Known for: First Generation Haitian Painter

Alexander Bustamante (DOB): 8/6/1884Died: 8/6/77
Best Known for: First Prime Minister of Jamaica

Shabba Ranks Date of Birth (DOB): 1/17/66-
Best Known for: First Reggae DJ to win a Grammy

Hasely Crawford:
Best Known for: Trinidad and Tobago's first 100M Olympic Gold

Rodney Wilkes (DOB): 3/11/1925-
Best Known for: The First Olympic medalist for Trinidad and Tobago