Jamaican Cultural Giant, Professor Rex Nettleford, Dies After Suffering Massive Heart Attack in Washington D.C.

Jamaican cultural and educational icon, Professor Rex Nettleford, dies after suffering massive heart attack in Washington D.C.

Professor Rex Nettleford (Jamaica Observer)

Jamaica has lost a giant. Professor Rex Nettleford, one of Jamaica's cultural ambassadors and icon, has died. He died in the George Washington University Intensive Care unit six days after he collapsed in his hotel room in Washington. According to the Jamaica Observer, he died four hours before his 77th birthday. He reportedly suffered a massive heart attack and was admitted to the hospital where he was placed on life support. He never regained consciousness and departed this world at 8 p.m. As far back as I can remember, Rex Nettleford was an intricate part of Jamaica's culture. He was a professor, a dancer, a writer, an orator and above all, a mentor to so many young people on the island.

Mr. Nettleford was reportedly in Washington D.C. to participate in a fund-raising gala for the University of the West Indies (UWI), where he served as vice-chancellor emeritus.

Ralston Milton 'Rex' Nettleford was born on February 3, 1933 in Falmouth, Trelawny. He was a professor of Extra Mural Studies at the University of the West Indies and also headed the Trade Union Education Institution.

As a Rhodes Scholar, he studied at Oxford University and has authored a number of books, among them Mirror Mirror, Manley and the New Jamaica, The African Connexion, In Our Heritage, and Caribbean Cultural Identity: the case of Jamaica. Nettleford was known as much for his involvement in the arts as his immeasurable contribution to academia.

For the entire life of the NDTC he was its driving force. Through his guidance and influence the group won international acclaim and is regarded as one of the best dance ensembles in the world. He was cultural adviser to the prime minister, member of the Inter-American Committee on Culture, founding governor of the Canada-based International Development Research Centre, and had acted as expert/consultant to the government of Ghana, FESTAC, CARIFESTA and UNESCO.

He is the recipient of Jamaica's third highest honour, the Order of Merit, as well as the gold Musgrave Medal, the Pelican Award from the UWI Guild of Graduates, an honorary doctor of Humane letters from the University of Hartford and the Living Legend Award from the Atlantic Black Arts Festival. Source: Jamaica Observer

Jamaica has lost a man that left an indelible mark on anything he touched. Rest in peace Professor, you have done well!