It’s the summer of 1938 in Kingston.

Crowds of workers have gathered at Parade, their faces tired but hopeful.

Wages are low, food is scarce, and tempers are rising.

From the steps of the Kingston courthouse, a tall man with silver hair steps forward, his voice cutting through the noise of the crowd.

He says boldly:

“Stand firm, you have a right to justice.”

His words echo through the streets, and something shifts.

Fear turns into courage, and the seeds of Jamaica’s labor movement take root.

Today, as you walk those same Kingston streets, it’s hard not to feel the weight of that moment.

The city that once trembled with unrest now beats with pride.

This is the story of Sir Alexander Bustamante, Jamaica’s first Prime Minister.

A man from Hanover

Born William Alexander Clarke on February 24, 1884, in Hanover, Bustamante grew up in a large family surrounded by stories, laughter, and the values of hard work.

In his early years, he left Jamaica and worked in Panama, Cuba, and the United States, where he witnessed the struggles of laborers firsthand.

Those experiences would later shape his vision for Jamaica’s working people.

When he returned to the island in the 1930s, the country was in a state of crisis.

The Great Depression had left workers underpaid and unemployed, and unrest was growing.

Bustamante became their voice, writing letters to newspapers and colonial officials demanding justice and fair wages.

His words struck a chord with ordinary Jamaicans who saw in him a leader unafraid to challenge authority.

The people's champion

By 1938, strikes and protests erupted across the island.

Bustamante stood with the workers, defending them even when it meant imprisonment.

His courage transformed him from a local advocate into a national hero.

That same year, he founded the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union (BITU), which became one of the strongest labor organizations in the Caribbean.

Bustamante’s charisma and fearlessness also led him into politics.

In 1943, he established the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP), emphasizing better wages, healthcare, and social security.

When Jamaica gained independence in 1962, it was Bustamante who took the oath as the nation’s first Prime Minister.

Bustamante's legacy of leadership

Bustamante’s leadership style was bold and fiery.

Though often controversial, his authenticity and humor made him loved.

In recognition of his service, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 1955 and named National Hero in 1969.