Louise Bennett

Louise Bennett, also known as Miss Lou, was a Jamaican poet, folklorist, writer, and educator. Born on 7 September 1919 in Kingston, Jamaica, she was the only child of bakery owner Augustus Cornelius Bennett and dressmaker Kerene Robinson. After her father's death in 1926, Bennett was primarily raised by her mother. She attended various schools in Kingston, including St. Simon's College and Excelsior College. Bennett's passion for Jamaican folklore led her to enroll at Friends College in Highgate, St. Mary, where she studied the subject. In 1943, her poetry was first published in the Sunday Gleaner. Throughout her career, Bennett worked to preserve and showcase the Jamaican Patois or Creole language through her writing and performances.