GoodHeart | Black Angel Foundation still honouring Joseph Buchanan with music scholarships
Published:Saturday | February 14, 2026 | 12:07 AMYasmine Peru/Senior Gleaner Writer
Valentine’s Day is special on a sombre note for the family of the late Joseph ‘Black Angel’ Buchanan. However, they have added an element of philanthropy to the day, which has served to light a flame that keeps his legacy and passion alive in a meaningful way.
Shortly after Joseph’s sudden passing, his family established the Black Angel Foundation, a charitable organisation that gives scholarships to youngsters with a passion for music. Spokesman Jonathan Buchanan remembered his younger brother’s dedication to music.
“My little brother, Joseph Michael Buchanan, died 13 years ago. He was 26 years old. He had a serious passion for music ... playing it, writing it. He was an avid piano player, a talented rapper/deejay and songwriter, and he also dabbled in producing,” said Jonathan of the brother with whom he was very close, and whom people often asked if they were twins.
Black Angel was Joseph’s moniker, hence the name of the foundation, and although Jonathan doesn’t know the origin of the name, he described it as “very fitting, actually, when you think about it.” Established a decade ago, the foundation has offered scholarships at several different levels to aspiring musicians as young as six years old, who are interested in playing a variety of instruments—whether it is the piano that his brother loved, percussion, “or whatever you name it.”
“Once they have the interest and the desire, then we try to assist them,” Jonathan explained. “And then we go all the way up to students at Edna Manley [College of the Visual and Performing Arts] who are doing tertiary education, to finish up their degrees in music, as well as the Alpha School of Music. And, like I said, it’s not just limited to Edna and Alpha.”
This year, the Black Angel Foundation is extending its philanthropic arm, reaching out to some students who have been severely affected in the Western parishes.
“We do want to let them know that they’re not forgotten,” Jonathan emphasised. “We have closed off the application process for this year and we will be giving out the scholarships on Saturday, which is Valentine’s Day – the day that Joseph passed many years ago.”
“But,” he added quickly, “It’s also the day that we keep his legacy alive by giving out these scholarships every single year specifically on Valentine’s Day. So this year, we have about five or six scholarships and it’s several million dollars worth of scholarships that we’ll be handing out this year. Each year, it’s anywhere from about one to three million dollars worth of scholarships.”
For Jonathan, it is “an interesting feeling,” and perhaps it is the same for the other members of the family-run organisation, including their mother, Bridget Brown, the visionary founder of Bridget Sandals, established in 1981.
“The purpose of it (the foundation) is to keep my brother’s legacy alive. We started trying to figure out how to give back immediately after he died—just to keep his name alive—and then we went to the charity’s office, and we’ve been fully registered for over 10 years now,” he said, adding,”There are moments when you think about it and you remember him... and there are moments where you feel a little bit sad. But when you realise the joy it brings to other people, and you see how you’re making a difference in [their] lives, that sadness quickly dissipates. You [also] feel a sense of pride, to know that, yes, someone’s really achieving a dream and it’s all because of my little brother’s legacy. So that’s quite a rewarding feeling,” Jonathan said.
Today, the Black Angel Foundation will host its Music Scholarship Reception, where some previous recipients will perform.
“It’s going to be a lovely, lovely evening,” Jonathan said, adding in closing, “You know, guys, just love everyone ... keep everybody cherished close to you. Life is very, very short. But if we work together, we can really make a lasting impact ... That is definitely one of the biggest lessons I have learned.”