Institute of Jamaica marks 145th anniversary

Threats of inclement weather did not stop well-wishers, stakeholders, friends, patrons and staff of the Institute of Jamaica (IOJ), and the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport (MCGES) from gathering at the Kingston Parish Church on June 2, to commemorate the 145th year anniversary of the IOJ.

Welcoming guests, Orville Hill, vice chairman of the Council of the IOJ, noted that “It gives me immense pleasure to know that an agency that has so profoundly impacted the very fabric of Jamaican life continues to be relevant and indeed necessary in our society. The IOJ of today is vastly different from what our forebears knew, but the mission is the same, to persevere in the preservation and promotion of Jamaican art and antiquities, for the encouragement of literature, science and art.”

Over its 145 years of existence, the institute, an agency of the MCGES, has led the effort to preserve, protect and celebrate Jamaican culture and heritage, acting as the primary progenitor of museums, libraries, art galleries and cultural training for citizens. From the IOJ, which was established in 1879, grew the institutions that would eventually become the University College of the West Indies; the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts; the Jamaica Library Service and National Library of Jamaica; and the Hope Zoo.

Through its divisions, the National Museum Jamaica; the Natural History Museum of Jamaica; the National Gallery of Jamaica; the African Caribbean Institute of Jamaica/Jamaica Memory Bank; the Jamaica Music Museum; the Programmes Coordination Division and the Liberty Hall: Legacy of Marcus Garvey, the IOJ continues to serve the creative and cultural needs of the Jamaican people.

Praise for the organisation’s success and longevity, during the service, came from Olivia Grange, Minister of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport, and Mayor Andrew Swaby, Kingston and St Andrew Municipal Corporation, who was represented by Councillor Eugene Kelly. Reverend Father Louis Hurst, who led the service, sharing a personal anecdote, noted that the IOJ’s publication, the Jamaica Journal, was one of the windows through which he learned about Jamaica, and the world. Looking to the future, Leslie Harrow, executive director expressed “as we embark on the next chapter of our journey, let us reaffirm our commitment to the ideals that have guided us for 145 years – to excellence, integrity, and service to our community.”

The church service is the first in a series of events planned to commemorate the significant milestone, which will run until May 2025.