Louise Bennett-Coverley

• Name — Louise Bennett-Coverley • Honorific Prefix — The Honourable • Honorific Suffix — OM OJ MBE • Birth Name — Louise Simone Bennett • Born — 7 September 1919 • Birthplace — Kingston, Colony of Jamaica, British Empire • Died — 26 July 2006 • Place of death — Toronto, Ontario, Canada • Resting Place — National Heroes Park (Kingston, Jamaica) • Occupation — * Poet • folklorist • writer • educator • Language — * Jamaican Patois • English • Education — Royal Academy of Dramatic Art • Children — 1 • Pen Name — Miss Lou • Years Active — 1945–1999 • Website — missloujamaica.com

Bennett was born on 7 September 1919 on North Street in Kingston, Jamaica. She was the only child of Augustus Cornelius Bennett, the owner of a bakery in Spanish Town, and Kerene Robinson, a dressmaker. After the death of her father in 1926, Bennett was raised primarily by her mother. Bennett attended elementary school at Ebenezer and Calabar, continuing to St. Simon's College and Excelsior College, in Kingston. In 1943, she enrolled at Friends College in Highgate, St Mary, where she studied Jamaican folklore. That same year, her poetry was first published in the Sunday Gleaner. In 1945, Bennett was the first black student to study at London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), after being awarded a scholarship from the British Council.

On graduating from RADA, Bennett worked with repertory companies in Coventry, Huddersfield and Amersham, as well as in intimate revues across England. During her time in the country, she hosted two radio programmes for the BBC: Caribbean Carnival (1945–1946) and West Indian Night (1950). Bennett worked for the Jamaica Social Welfare Commission from 1955 to 1959, and taught folklore and drama at the University of the West Indies. From 1965 to 1982, she produced Miss Lou's Views, a series of radio monologues, and in 1970 started hosting the children's television programme Ring Ding. Airing until 1982, the show was based on Bennett's belief "that 'de pickney-dem learn de sinting dat belong to dem' (that the children learn about their heritage)". As part of the programme, children from across the country were invited to share their artistic talents on-air. In addition to her television appearances, Bennett appeared in various motion pictures, which included Calypso (1958), Who Finds a Friend Finds a Treasure (1981) and Club Paradise (1986). Bennett wrote several books and poetry in Jamaican Patois, helping to have it recognized as a "nation language" in its own right. Her work influenced many other writers – among them Mutabaruka, Linton Kwesi Johnson and Yasus Afari – to use it in a similar manner. She also released numerous recordings of traditional Jamaican folk music and recordings from her radio and television shows, including Jamaican Folk Songs, Children's Jamaican Songs and Games, Miss Lou’s Views (1967), Listen to Louise (1968), Carifesta Ring Ding (1976), and The Honorable Miss Lou. She is credited with giving Harry Belafonte the foundation for his 1956 hit "Day-O (The Banana Boat Song)" by telling him about the Jamaican folk song "Hill and Gully Rider" (the name also given as "Day Dah Light").

Bennett was married to Eric Winston Coverley, an early performer and promoter of Jamaican theatre, from 30 May 1954 until his death in August 2002. Together, Bennett and Coverley had a son, Fabian.

Bennett lived in Scarborough, Ontario. She died on 27 July 2006 at the Scarborough Grace Hospital after collapsing at her home. A memorial service was held in Toronto on 3 August 2006, after which her body was flown to Jamaica to lie in state at the National Arena on 7 and 8 August. A funeral was held in Kingston at the Coke Methodist Church at East Parade on 9 August 2006 followed by her interment in the cultural icons section of the country's National Heroes Park. Bennett's husband predeceased her.

• Year — Title — Role • 1958 — Calypso — Martha • 1965 — A High Wind in Jamaica — Mamie • 1981 — Who Finds a Friend Finds a Treasure — Mama • 1986 — Club Paradise — Portia • 2001 — Resistance

Louise Bennett-Coverley was recorded at birth as Louise Simone Bennett. She also worked under the names Miss Lou and Louise Bennett. The authorities additionally record the headings Louise Simone Bennett, Miss Lou, Louise Bennett and Louise Simone Bennett-Coverley. Her recorded languages were Jamaican Patois and English.

In 2011, photographs, audiovisual recordings, correspondence, awards and other material regarding Bennett were donated to the McMaster University Library by her family with the intention of having selections from the fonds, which date from 1941 to 2008, digitized and made available online as part of a digital archive A selection of Bennett's personal papers are also available at the National Library of Jamaica. Launched in October 2016, the Miss Lou Archives contains previously unpublished archival material, including photos, audio recording, diaries and correspondence. The holdings of the Miss Lou Archives were donated to the Library by Bennett as she prepared to take up residence in Canada.