The book entitled “Lucille Mathurin Mair” by Verene A.

Shepard, is a Caribbean biography

series from the University of the West Indies Mona, Kingston, Jamaica and was published on

September 30, 2020. The cover of the book is coated in teal and mustard and has a beautiful

black and white photo of Lucille Mair smiling. The book contains eight (8) chapters with 88

pages that display the life, impacts and contributions of Lucille Mair to Jamaican and by extent,

the Caribbean. Mrs. Mair was a diplomat, Jamaican ambassador, author, and a gender specialist

who was born in Kingston, Jamaica. Lucille Mair was also a single mother of three children and

was known for her outstanding service as a humanitarian and scholar and women’s rights

activist. She was accorded many awards some of which included; The national honors of

Commander of the Order of Distinction, the Order of Jamaica as well as the OAS Women of

Distinction Award. She was also conferred with Honorary Doctorates from three universities;

The University of Florida, The University of Ulster in Ireland and The University of the West

Indies in Kingston, Jamaica. She also wrote the article ‘The Rebel Woman in the British West

Indies during Slavery’ which put on the platform the resistance efforts of the enslaved black

woman, forever dispelling the notion of the black woman as a victim. Instead, as in her thesis,

Dr. Mair made these women active agents in their liberation and mitigation.

Verene A. Shepherd is a Social Historian, a Director of the Centre for Reparation Research, the

Vice-Chair of the United Nations Committee on the Elimination on Racial Discrimination and

the immediate past University Director of the Institute for Gender & Development Studies at The

University of the West Indies. Verene Shepherd is also a published author who have written

several books, one of which is ‘I want to Disturb my Neighbour: Lectures on Slavery,

Emancipation & Postcolonial Jamaica (2007)’ Her awards include the Government of Jamaica’s

Order of Distinction, Commander Class, for outstanding service to Education in History and
Gender Studies. Throughout the book, several themes were explored, including

racism/colourism, identity, family life, and women empowerment or education.

The first theme highlighted in “Lucille Mathurin Mair” by Verene Shepherd was colorism. The

Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines colorism as "prejudice or discrimination especially within a

racial or ethnic group favoring people with lighter skin over those with darker skin”. This was

evident in Chapter 1, page 3, lines 19-24, “Family members who have memories of Edith said

that she was “high brown” and a snob who looked down on working-class black people,

especially her domestic workers; and even though she had married black men, discouraged her

daughters and granddaughters from doing the same. It is possible that she made an exception for

professional black men.” Colorism can be dated back from the period of slavery, were light

skinned women would get better treatment than women of a darker complexion. National

Conference for Community and Justice (n.d) stated that, on the plantation, slaves with lighter

skin were given domestic duties, whereas slaves with darker skin tones were forced to work

outside in the fields, performing considerably more strenuous jobs. Slaves with lighter skin were

preferred since they were frequently the result of a slave owner rapping a slave, resulting in a

lighter-skinned child. In the book, Edith believed that her ‘light complexion’ made her superior

to persons of a darker complexion- a prime example of colorism. Colorism is evident in every

aspect of today’s society; schools, family as well as in the work place. Persons with a lighter

complexion stand a better chance of succeeding in life as opposed to a ‘tar black’ person

regardless of their educational qualification or social class. Hence why persons with a darker

skin tone tends to engage in skin bleaching. In addition, in chapter one, on page 6, the book

stated that “Mair was one of the first black women to be featured in one of these pantomimes,

playing the princess in the 1943 Soliday and the Wicked Bird. She was also the narrator in the
play pre-record in August 1948, entitled The Mixed Heritage, which covered the period of

Spanish invasion and colonization and the reason for their brand of colonialism.” Here, colorism

is seen once more. According to Farrow (2019), throughout the history of Hollywood films, the

lack of African American actors and actresses in leading parts has been noticeable. Lighter-

skinned performers were favored for more significant roles when casting African Americans.

Roles for darker-skinned people tended to reinforce or amplify racist prejudices. This put both

lighter and darker complexion Americans in a position where they felt they couldn't just be black

without being labeled. As a result of this identity problem, many lighter-skinned African

Americans attempted to pass for white in public settings in order to compete for more

possibilities, escalating tensions within the black community. Historically, this goes to show that

the color of your skin determined the opportunities you get as well as how far you will go in

society.

The second theme that was evident in the book was Family life, more specific, Father

Absenteeism. Barnard (2021) described family as a group of people who are linked by marriage,

blood, or adoption that live together in a single household, interacting in their social roles, which

are commonly those of spouses, parents, children, and siblings. Father Absenteeism was a trend

evident in chapter 1. Verene A. Shepherd stated on page 1, lines 1-3 that “I saw my father for the

first time through the haze of an October afternoon in London on the steps of the British

Museum.” Lucille’s description of meeting her biological father for the first time in twenty years

was one of mixed emotions “a childhood marked by huge and empty spaces longing to be filled”

(page 1, lines 7-8), was her way of expressing how she felt towards him. On page 2 line 16-17, it

was seen that Lucille’s father was also abandoned by his father, along with his siblings at a very

young age. This might be the reason for his absence in her live. Again, Lucille’s children also
grew up without their biological fathers because of death and also divorce. Situations like this, is

quite common in modern days society, where children are being raised without a father figure. A

literature review done by East et al (2006), found that adolescents who experienced father

absenteeism had lower self-esteem, engaged in sexual activity at an earlier age and had lower

general achievements compared to adolescents of intact dyadic families. Furthermore, a negative

impact on personal relationships was noted (Barber and Eccles, 1992). Children who grew up

without their biological father or a male figure tend to be affected and as such it brings about

violent behaviors, low academic performance, low mannerism and also low self-esteem. This is

as a result of not having the proper ‘foot steps’ to follow as a child. Fathers play a very important

role in a child’s life and their absence can have a serious effect on that child. Family support

plays an important role because even though she had a stepfather in her life, entries in her

journals showed that a part of her (her father) was still missing and she yearned for answers, “He

never explained away those years of silence; if there was remorse or guilt . . . he never voiced it

if he ever found what he searched for across the Atlantic . . . and that was a problem for me.”

(Verene Shepherd, 2020). However, Despise how she felt, she still managed to keep her mind

focused on making a better life for herself, as well as her children. This shows that not all

children who grew up without their biological father or a father figure, contributes negatively to

the society. An exceptional example is show in the book when even without her biological father

present; Lucille became a very self-sufficient and empowering woman we know today. Thanks

to her personal goals, self-motivations, and passion. She developed an identity for herself that

was celebrated both nationally and worldwide, and it had a considerable impact on a variety of

topics, including gender equality and many others.

The third theme seen the in the book was Gender role. Gender role is defined as “the role that an

individual is expected to play as a result of their sex and the accompanying attitudes, actions,

conventions, and values” (Bell 2020). In the book, Lucille’s aim was constantly to fight for the

rights of black women and was always speaking about gender equality. A section in the book

stated “It was 37 year after the signing of the charter before the first female Under-Secretary-

General was appointed in the Secretariat . . . . Ten years later not only has there been no progress

but rather regression as there is not even one woman holding a post at that level in the

Secretariat.” (Chapter 6, page 58, lines 27-29, 32-35). Women have always been looked down on

as it regards holding certain responsibilities, could be seen in the house of parliament were the

members are dominantly males, as they were classified as ‘the head’ (even in the bible).

According to (Inter-Parliamentary Union, 2021), while more women are being elected to

parliaments around the world than ever before, equality is still a long way off, and progress is far

too sluggish. The majority of parliaments are still heavily dominated by men, with some having

no female members at all. Even when women make up a larger percentage of the workforce,

glass barriers still exists. Jamaica got its independence in 1962 and Alexander Bustamante, of

course a male, was elected to become the first Prime Minister. This continued as many other

males were handed the position until 2006 when Portia Simpson-Miller became Jamaica’s first

female prime minister. It took 44 years for a woman to hold such a post. According to McLeod

(2021), Senator Kamala Harris, who is of Jamaican origin, has received overwhelming support

from Jamaicans both home and abroad. In Jamaica, a record 30 female candidates ran in the

recent general elections, 18 from the Jamaica Labor Party (JLP) and 12 from the People's

National Party (PNP). A remarkable 18 of them won, bringing the total number of women in the

Jamaican legislature to a new high of 28.5 percent. Mair changed the trajectory of how females
are viewed. Because of her determination and strong willingness; she worked her way up in

society and ensures to make a way for other women to follow. Thanks to Mair, in our society and

by extension the Caribbean, women now have the opportunity to hold any position in society as

there is now a level of equality between men and women.

The fourth theme that was highlighted in the book was Education. According to the Merriam-

Webster Dictionary education is defined as the action or process of teaching someone especially

in a school, college, or university. Black people were deprived of education. It reached an extent

were the whites feared that black literacy might endanger the slave system resulting the

establishment of laws which prohibited slaves from literacy development and writing, as well as

making it illegal for others to teach them (Simkin, 2020). Historically, education was used as a

form of social mobility and as a benefit for black people to become independent. From book, it

stated “She shared ideas and perspectives with other great thinkers, such as Elsa Goveia (first

professor of history at the University College of the West Indies), Errol Barrow (first principal of

the Mona campus of the UWI), Forbes Burnham (first prime minister of Guyana) and Michael

Manley (fourth prime minister of Jamaica).” (Chapter 1, page 8). Lucille surrounded herself with

persons who are come from the Caribbean and also had similar interests; which are to become

educated and more aware. This strong need for education was evident in the period of slavery

where former slaves considered education as a critical step in achieving equality, independence,

and wealth. As a result, despite the numerous impediments that poverty and thing white people

threw in their way; they discovered methods to educate themselves. The book then goes on to

say, “This was the period of heightened cultural and regional awareness, when, being the

brightest and the best from their respective countries” (Chapter 1, page 8). “She used her

knowledge of history to teach and inform” This shows how determined Lucille was to educating
both the young and old on black history. (Chapter 3, page 28). In addition, Lucille seem to have

migrated to acquire a few of her educational accomplishments, this is because after Jamaica

gained its independence, we were still using the British exam to bring about certified individuals.

To add, University of the West Indies was not yet an accredited institution. According to Internet

Geography (2021), migration is the movement of people inside a country or between countries,

and it can be permanent, temporary, or seasonal. Migration has become a prevalent factor in

Caribbean countries as a result of economic conditions, living conditions and career prospects,

which are referred to as pull factors and push factors. Caribbean countries are less developed

therefore; they lack the necessary materials and tools to support their populations. Though in our

current society we have different universities, Jamaican’s still migrate to other countries to either

further their education or for better opportunities, as did Lucille Mair did in her time.

To conclude, this book was really valuable in that it brought to light some of the challenges that

modern society faces one of which is gender inequality. Lucille’s life was entirely shaped by

history; without it, she would not have become an advocate for many of the challenges that

Caribbean people were confronted with. Knowing our history is vital because it may help us

comprehend who are and why we behave a certain way, it provides us direction, and gives us a

glimpse into the past. Mair was a pivotal figure in the Caribbean, throughout her life, she

preached about equality and fairness and was able to build a persona that would impact many

people throughout her life as she refused to back down from what she believed in, by becoming a

voice for the silenced.

 Reference

Barnard, Alan John. “Family | Definition, Meaning, Members, Types, & Facts.” Encyclopedia

Britannica, Britannica, 2021, www.britannica.com/topic/family-kinship.

Bell, Kenton. “Gender Role.” Open Education Sociology Dictionary, Open Education Sociology

Dictionary, 2020, sociologydictionary.org/gender-role.

East, Leah, et al. “Father Absence and Adolescent Development: A Review of the Literature.”

Journal of Child Health Care, vol. 10, no. 4, 2006, pp. 283–95. Crossref,

doi:10.1177/1367493506067869.

Farrow, Kye. “How the Camera Sees Color.” National Museum of African American History and

Culture, 2019, nmaahc.si.edu/explore/stories/collection/how-camera-sees-color.

Internet Geography. “What Is Migration?” Internet Geography, 2021,

www.internetgeography.net/topics/what-is-migration.

Inter-Parliamentary Union. “Women in Parliament.” Inter-Parliamentary Union, inter-

Parliamentary Union, 2021, www.ipu.org/our-impact/gender-equality/women-in-

parliament.

McLeod, Sheri-Kae. “Women Surge: Historic Number of Women Elected to Jamaica’s

Parliament.” Caribbean News, CaribbeanNationWeekly.com, 2020,

www.caribbeannationalweekly.com/caribbean-breaking-news-featured/women-surge-

historic-number-of-women-elected-to-jamaicas-parliament.

Simkin, John. “Education of Slaves.” Spartacus Educational, 2020,

spartacus-educational.com/USASeducation.htm.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary. “Colorism.” The Merriam-Webster.Com Dictionary,

www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/colorism. Accessed 2021.

“Education.” The Merriam-Webster.Com Dictionary,

www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/education. Accessed 12 Nov. 2021.