Jamaica Prime Minister Andrew Holness (middle) graciously takes a photo with CASE Director Dr. Andre Thorn, Dr. Daive Dunkley and his family, along with four MU students at the Jamaica House, June 2022. This was made possible by MU’s Study Abroad Office, the College of Arts and Sciences, the Black Studies Department and the Peace Studies Program.
It was a summer to remember.
Thanks to the MU Study Abroad Office and collaborations with the Center for Academic Success & Excellence, the College of Arts and Science, the Black Studies Department and the Peace Studies Program, this summer students were able to travel to Jamaica to see first-hand the history of initiatives to eliminate race, class and gender violence in Jamaica and the Caribbean through peacemaking practices.
This four-week program was led by Dr. Daive Dunkley, Associate Professor of History and Black Studies, Department of Black Studies Chair, and Director of Peace Studies. He was joined by Dr. Andre Thorn, Director of the Center for Academic Success & Excellence.
CASE Diversity Scholar Andrea Brown, Brooks Scholar Jas Simmons, CASE Summer Bridge 2019 Scholar Lianna Johnson and Anthony De’Jesus were the MU students who experienced this unique opportunity. They explored peace initiatives in the context of the historical and cultural development of the region from pre-colonial times to the present.
One of the cultural capitals of the Western world, Jamaica is the birthplace of reggae and Rastafari, as well as the movements to abolish colonialism in the English-speaking Caribbean.
Program highlights included:
Tour of the Jamaica House capped off with a chat and lunch with Jamaica Prime Minister Andrew Holness
Visit to Bob Marley Museum
Visit to Usain Bolt’s Tracks and Records restaurant
Weekend trip to historic Falmouth
Trips to the beautiful Jamaican beaches
Two CASE scholars make guest appearance on Jamaica National Radio
Timeline and notes of the trip from CASE Director Dr. Andre Thorn:
Week 1: June 6-12th
Highlighted by delayed travel, I missed my connecting flight to Kingston causing me to spend the night in Dallas. I had to join the (4) Mizzou students and Dr. Dunkley of Black Studies, a day later, June 6th.
We were housed in the Gerald Lalor Flats (post-graduate housing complex) at the University of the West Indies (UWI) Mona campus in Kingston, Jamaica.
When I caught up with the students, they were finishing up a tour of campus and were beginning to have their first of many Jamaican lunches. This one consisting of cow foot, beans, barbeque chicken, rice and peas, salad and assorted juices and nectars.
Students then engaged in a tour of the UWI Museum with museum curator and social historian, Dr. Shani Roper.
We capped off the first day with a screening and discussion of the film “Dancehall Queen”.
Formal courses began June 8th.
Courses during the week consisted of various topics and guests:
Violent Garrisons: Professor Christopher Charles
Gang Violence: Dr. Herbert Gayle
Geography of Conflict: Professor Christopher Charles
United Nations: Current Jamaican Ambassador Dr. Michelle Munroe.
Caribbean Border Disputes: Dr. Jean Pierre Murray
This week was capped off with a weekend trip to Historic Falmouth (the chief town and capital of the parish of Trelawny in Jamaica), the National Hero Sam Sharpe monument, a presentation from Dr. Ivor Connelly and an overnight stay at SeaGarden Resort in Montego Bay.
Diversity Scholar Andrea Brown, Brooks Scholar Jas Simmons, CASE Summer Bridge 2019 Scholar Lianna Johnson and fellow MU student Anthony De’Jesus enjoy their time on the water at SeaGarden Beach Resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica in June 2022.MU students (left to right) Andrea Brown, Jas Simmons, Anthony De’Jesus and Lianna Johnson pose for a photo during their stay at SeaGarden Beach Resort in Montego Bay in June 2022.MU students engage in a tour of the University of West Indies (UWI) Museum with museum curator and social historian, Dr. Shani Roper in Kingston, Jamaica, Monday, June 6, 2022. University of West Indies (UWI) Museum curator and social historian, Dr. Shani Roper speak with MU students during a tour of the museum in Kingston, Jamaica, Monday, June 6, 2022.Trelawny Parish Church (also known as St. Peter’s Anglican), built in 1795, is the oldest public building in the town. After an 1842 extension, St. Peter’s stands as one of the largest Anglican churches in Jamaica.Participants of the MU Jamaica summer study abroad program visit the Sam Sharpe Monument located in the center of Downtown Montego Bay. Sam Sharpe Square, gives visitors a historical snapshot of Jamaica during the 1800s. It was originally named Charles Square, but was later renamed in honor of Sharpe, a Jamaican National hero and anti-slavery activist.Sam Sharpe was captured and hanged in 1832 and the Jamaican Government passed the Abolition of Slavery Act in 1833. He was made a National Hero in 1975 and is on the Jamaican $50 note. His statue is located at Sam Sharpe Square in the center of Downtown Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Week 2: June 13-19th
This week was highlighted by presentations on the following topics:
Peacebuilding and Peacemaking: Dr. Michelle Munroe
Political Violence in the Caribbean: Professor Christopher Charles
Violence in Schools: Dr. Geoffrey Walcott
Peacebuilding and Reparations for Slavery: Prof. Verene Shepherd
Media Reporting on Conflicts: Dr. Corinne Barnes
Workplace Aggression and Conflict: Prof. Charles
Ethno-religious Conflicts: Dr. Jhodi Bowie Dean
Violence in popular Music: Dr. Dennis Howard
Tour of School of Vision Rastafarian Camp (3,000 ft up in the Blue Mountains)
Tour of Jamaica Defense Force – Up Park Camp
Tour of the Bob Marley Museum
Overnight stay at the rustic Sea Cliff Resort in Portland, Jamaica
Visit to Frenchmen’s Cove Beach and Hellshire Beach, Jamaica
CASE Director Dr. Andre Thorn emulates the Bob Marley statue during a visit to the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston, Jamaica, June 2022. MU students pose for a quick photo with Dr. Daive Dunkley during a visit to the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston, Jamaica, June 2022. CASE Director Dr. Andre Thorn snaps a selfie at the Bob Marley Museum in Kingston, Jamaica, June 2022. CASE Director Dr. Andre Thorn and MU students tour the Jamaica Defense Force Up Park Camp in Kingston, Jamaica, June 2022.CASE Director Dr. Andre Thorn sits inside a military helicopter during a tour of the Jamaica Defense Force in Kingston, Jamaica, June 2022.CASE scholar Andrea Brown smiles big inside a military helicopter during a tour of the Jamaica Defense Force in Kingston, Jamaica, June 2022.Members of the MU Jamaica summer study abroad program visit the Jamaica Military Museum and Library (JMML), located at Up Park Camp. It is the regional hub for scholarly research and artifacts relating to the military history of Jamaica and the Caribbean.CASE scholars Andrea Brown (left), Lianna Johnson (middle) and Jas Simmons (right) take in the breathtaking views of the Blue Mountains during their visit to the School of Vision Rasta Camp, a Rastafarian community 3,000 ft up in the mountains. CASE scholars Lianna Johnson (left) and Andrea Brown (right) embrace the Rastafarian culture during their trip to the School of Vision Rasta Camp located in the Blue Mountains.Dr. Daive Dunkley and MU students participating in the Jamaica study abroad program learn about Rastafarian culture and tradition during their visit to the School of Vision Rasta Camp.CASE scholar Lianna Johnson poses for a photo at the School of Vision.
Week 3: June 20-26th
The week began by celebrating the Juneteenth holiday and discussions on the following:
Rastafari and the Peace Struggle: Dr. Imani Tafari-Ama
Post-conflict Resilience & Governance: Dr. Herbert Gayle
Negotiating Peace: Dr. Jean Pierre Murray
Social Identity and Conflict: Prof. Charles
Conflict & Mental Health: Dr. Geoffrey Walcott
Heritage as a Social Justice Issue: Dr. Shani Roper
Tour of Worthy Park Estate (sugar plantation) one of the island’s oldest sugar and rum producers. This sparked significant conversation among the students!
World-famous Dunn’s River Falls visit
Overnight stay at Jewel Grande Resort, Montego Bay
The group visits Worthy Park Estate located in hills of Lluidas Vale, St. Catherine. It is one of the island’s oldest sugar and rum producers. Worthy Park Estate’s inception was 1670. Commercial production of cane and sugar began in 1720.Dr. Daive Dunkley and his family at Worthy Park Estate in Lluidas Vale, St. Catherine, Jamaica, June 2022.MU’s study abroad group tours Worthy Park Estate. The tour takes you on a journey of history from 1670 into the present day, including the process of converting sweet, sugar cane to pure Jamaican rum.CASE Director Dr. Andre Thorn enjoying himself at the world-famous Dunn’s River Falls near Ocho Rios, Jamaica, June 2022.MU Students live in up at Dunn’s River Falls. The world-famous falls renew themselves via regular deposits of calcium carbonate and sodium. CASE scholars Lianna Johnson and Jas Simmons have a blast riding jet skis in Jamaica, June 2022.MU students enjoy a nice meal during their overnight stay at Jewel Grande Resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica, June 2022.
Week 4: June 22-July 1
Back to Kingston for the final week
I met with Jason L. McKinzie, Director of Student Services and Development to discuss potential MU-UWI partnerships, similar to those already established with Florida State University.
Visit to Port Royal Jamaican Defense Force (Coast Guard)
MU students and CASE scholars Jas and Lianna made their debut on Jamaican National Radio (Nationwide 90 FM) discussing their experience in Jamaica and what they have learned about Jamaica history during their study abroad experience (starts at 20min mark). Check it out here!
Visit to the Jamaica House (Jamaica’s version of the White House) along with lunch and chat with the Jamaica Prime Minister Andrew Holness.
Student presentations, exam and departures.
CASE scholar Lianna Johnson shakes Jamaica Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ hand during a visit to the Jamaica House, June 2022.Jamaica Prime Minister Andrew Holness chats with MU students and others at the Jamaica House, June 2022. Jamaica Prime Minister Andrew Holness (middle) graciously takes a photo with CASE Director Dr. Andre Thorn, Dr. Daive Dunkley and his family, along with four MU students at the Jamaica House, June 2022. The group walking the grounds of the Jamaica House, June 2022.CASE Director Dr. Andre Thorn and MU students are honored to be invited to the Jamaica House, June 2022.The group learns about the Jamaica House, June 2022.The Mizzou group listens intently during a tour of the Jamaica House in Kingston, Jamaica, June 2022.CASE Director Dr. Andre Thorn snaps a selfie inside the Jamaica House in Kingston, Jamaica, June 2022. Diversity Scholar Andrea Brown discusses the hyper-sexualization and adultification of young Black girls during a presentation to wrap up the four-week program in Jamaica, June 2022.Brooks Scholar Jas Simmons introduces Caribbean women heroes during a presentation to wrap up the four-week program in Jamaica, June 2022.MU student Anthony De’Jesus talks about Empress and Rastafarian Women during a presentation to wrap up the four-week program in Jamaica, June 2022.CASE scholar Lianna Johnson brings up clientelism in Jamaica and American politics during a presentation to wrap up the four-week program in Jamaica, June 2022.MU students and CASE scholars Lianna Johnson and Jas Simmons debut on Jamaican National Radio (Nationwide 90 FM) to discus what they have learned about Jamaican history during their study abroad experience.
Special thanks again to the MU Study Abroad Office, the College of Arts and Science, the Black Studies Department and the Peace Studies Program for making this trip possible!
