The Essay: Caribbean Voices

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The Essay: Caribbean Voices: Jen McDerra on Gladys Lindo

Jen McDerra on Gladys Lindo

Caribbean Voices

BBC Radio 3 - The Essay, Caribbean Voices, Jen McDerra on Gladys Lindo

The Jamaican woman of letters behind Henry Swanzy discovered hidden in the archives

Henry Swanzy is credited with showcasing Caribbean literary voices, but his collaborator Gladys Lindo has been forgotten. Academic and writer Jen McDerra finds her in the archives

During his time as a producer on the BBC's landmark radio programme, Henry Swanzy was credited with showcasing some of the 20th century's biggest Caribbean literary voices. His collaborator Gladys Lindo, however, has been forgotten. Academic and writer Jen McDerra finds her hidden in the archives.

Seventy-five years ago, the revolutionary Caribbean Voices strand was established on the Overseas Service by trailblazing Jamaican broadcaster Una Marson. Every week for over a decade, it gave exposure on air to emerging writers from the region such as Sam Selvon, Derek Walcott and VS Naipaul - many for the first time. For this series, five writers go in search of five important figures who contributed to the programme throughout the 1940s and 50s, each of whom changed the literary landscape in a different way. 

Image: The above photo of Gladys R. Lindo is the first to be featured in the public domain. It was given to Jen McDerra by Gladys' grandaughter in Kingston, Jamaica in June 2021 and is reproduced here with the permission of her family

Producer: Ciaran Bermingham

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