By Tanya Batson-Savage, Staff ReporterWHILE JAMAICA has been taking a beating in England with regards to our contribution to crime in that country, apparently our small island has also had a positive impact on theirs. Jamaica's cultural impact on Britain can easily be celebrated with a look at the list of the top 100 'Great Black Britons'.
The competition, run through an Internet poll, was created by Patrick Vernon in response to the BBC's Great Black Briton list, which featured no black personalities.
Mary Seacole headed the list, being voted the greatest 'Black Briton' for her work in the Crimean War. This recognition helps to bring some much deserved accolades for Seacole, who was shoved into the shadow of Florence Nightingale's lamp. Recently the local docufilm, The Doctress: Mary Seacole of Jamaica, was created by Video for Change in order to celebrate the great nurse's life.
However, Seacole is not the only Jamaican who made a great impact. Linton Kwesi Johnson was dubbed the greatest in the 'Arts and Culture' segment. Often called the founding father of dub poetry, Linton Kwesi Johnson's Mi Revalushanary Fren made him the second poet and first Jamaican to be published in the Penguin Modern Classics series.
Yvonne Brewster, one of the founders of The Barn Theatre, also makes it to the list. Brewster, who worked on films such as The Harder They Come and Smile Orange, is one of Britain's most respected black directors. Through her black theatre company, Talawa, she has brought a range of productions to the British stage, including Shakespeare's King Lear, Wole Soyinka's The Road, and Sol B. River's To Rhatid. Brewster's skills are greatly demanded throughout the world.
Though he did not make it to the list of 100, Willard White's accomplishments in the world of classical music also earned him a nomination. The bass/baritone singer has had numerous opera appearances, including The Damnation of Faust, La Boheme, Porgy and Bess and Love For Three Oranges. He has performed with the London Philharmonic, La Scala, the Berlin Philharmonic and Los Angeles Philharmonic orchestras, among others.
Jamaicans also made their mark outside of the arts. Linford Christie's enviable track record also got him a place on the list. Sir Bill Morris is also among the 100 Great Britons, through his work in the trade unions. Sir Morris was dubbed the greatest Black Briton in the Public Life category.
Among others of Jamaican descent to make the list are footballer John Barnes, boxer Lennox Lewis, comedian Lenny Henry, writer Zadie Smith, poet Benjamin Zephaniah and politician Diane Abbot.
