Jamaican Kwame McPherson wins Commonwealth Short Story Prize

This year's Commonwealth Short Story Prize has been awarded to Jamaican writer, Kwame McPherson, for his submission titled 'Ocoee', which takes its name from a town in Florida where several African Americans were massacred in a horrifying, racially motivated incident in November 1920. 

The announcement was made by The Commonwealth Foundation – an intergovernmental organisation during an online ceremony on Tuesday. 

McPherson is the first Jamaican to win the prize and will receive £5,000. The prize is awarded for the best piece of unpublished short fiction ranging from 2,000-5,000 words. 

In an interview with The Gleaner, McPherson stated that this was his ninth attempt at the Prize with his first having been in 2009, after which he would later make submissions intermittently.   

In May, 57-year-old who was born in London, England, to Jamaican parents was named the Caribbean winner of the 2023 Commonwealth Short Story Prize after being shortlisted in April as one of five regional winners of the world's most global literature prize, walking away with a cash prize of £2,500. 

He was among 28 individuals – 10 men and 18 women – who were selected from a total of 6,642 entries 

McPherson told The Gleaner that this was the first time he had ever been shortlisted as a regional winner and for the overall Prize, a victory he had not expected. 

“[It's] awesome, that is [a], oh man, complete and utter recognition for my talent and my skill and my ability...it's still surreal to know that I've actually won internationally and I'm proud of that fact because as Jamaicans we are winners so wining in this field is a phenomenal feeling,” he said.

McPherson's work can be found on https://www.amazon.com/ and https://www.lulu.com/  

The literary magazine Granta has published all of the regional winning stories of the 2023 Commonwealth Short Story Prize, including Ocoee. 

Submissions for the 2024 Commonwealth Short Story Prize will open on September 1, 2023. 

-Asha Wilks

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