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and stick around to see places in Jamaica
this video is aimed at giving you a general overview
but you can check the video description for added information
currently, we are driving north on Paragon Close
towards Miss Lou Close
in Coorevile Gardens,
Kingston 20
St Andrew Parish
Notably, the streets of Cooreville Gardens
are named after famous Jamaican artistes
turning towards Miss Lou Close
and Miss Lou Close is named after
Louise Simone Bennett-Coverley
or popularly Miss Lou OM, OJ, MBE.
we are at Bob Marley Boulevard Intersection,
which is to the left and right
and we are going straight across on Ms Lou Close
Louise Simone Bennett-Coverley or Miss Lou OM, OJ, MBE
(born 7 September 1919 – died 26 July 2006),
was a Jamaican poet, folklorist, writer, and educator.
on the right is Ernie Ranglin Road
Miss Lou was born on North Street in Kingston, Jamaica.
She was the only child of
Augustus Cornelius Bennett, the owner of a bakery in Spanish Town,
and Kerene Robinson, a dressmaker.
Miss Lou wrote and performed
her poems in Jamaican Patois or Creole,
She worked to preserve the practice of presenting poetry,
folk songs and stories in patois,
establishing the validity of local languages
for literary expression.
Miss Lou Close ends
and we are turning back to Paragon Close
Miss Lou was raised primarily by her mother
after the death of her father in 1926.
She attended elementary school
at Ebenezer and Calabar,
continuing to St. Simon's College
and Excelsior College, in Kingston.
again, on the left is Ernie Ranglin Road
In 1943, she enrolled at Friends College in Highgate, St Mary
where she studied Jamaican folklore.
In that same year
her poetry was first published in the Sunday Gleaner.
In 1945, Miss Lou was the first black student to study at
London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA)
after being awarded a scholarship from the British Council.
we are back at Bob Marley Boulevard Intersection
and we are continuing ahead
towards Paragon Close
Miss Lou worked for the Jamaica Social Welfare Commission
and taught folklore and drama
at the University of the West Indies.
She produced Miss Lou's Views,
a series of radio monologues,
and started hosting the children's television program "Ring Ding".
The show was based on Miss Lou's belief that
'de pickney-dem learn de sinting dat belong to dem'
meaning (that the children learn about their heritage).
we are now driving on Paragon Close
Miss Lou also appeared in various motion pictures
including
the 1958 film Calypso and Club Paradise (1986)
She wrote several books and poetry
in Jamaican Patois
and her work influenced many other writers to use it in a similar manner.
turning onto Bob Marley Boulevard
She released
numerous recordings of traditional
Jamaican folk music and recordings
from her radio and television shows.
there is so much to say about Miss Lou
Miss Lou was married to Eric Winston Coverley,
an early performer and promoter
of Jamaican theater,
from 30 May 1954 until his death in August 2002.
Miss Lou lived the last decade of her life
in Scarborough, Ontario.
She died on 27 July 2006
at the Scarborough Grace Hospital
after collapsing at her home.
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