Caribbean American Heritage Month Merch Drop & Reading List!!
Celebrating Caribbean American Heritage Month with Our First Ever Merch Drop!
I’m beyond excited to announce the very first Strictly Facts merch drop—just in time to celebrate Caribbean American Heritage Month! This first design is more than just apparel or accessories; it’s a bold tribute to our shared history, revolutionary spirit, and tremendous diversity. Every design honors the rich legacy of Caribbean people who fought, danced, and spoke truth to power in ways that shaped the world. Whether you're repping your island with pride or honoring our ancestors, this merch line is for you.
This design highlights a few legendary Caribbean activists whose work laid the foundation for generations of resistance and cultural pride. These icons span different islands, centuries, and movements, but they all share one thing: they changed the course of our history. Get your merch and be sure to check out the Strictly Facts CAHM 2025 Playlist as well!
Claudia Jones (1915–1964)
Country: Trinidad and Tobago
Claudia Jones was a pioneering journalist, political activist, and one of the founders of the Notting Hill Carnival in London. After migrating to the U.S., she became a prominent figure in the Communist Party, advocating for Black women’s rights and anti-imperialism. Deported to the U.K., she founded the West Indian Gazette, an important publication for Caribbean diaspora communities.
Read: Left of Karl Marx: The Political Life of Black Communist Claudia Jones by Carole Boyce Davies and Claudia Jones: Beyond Containment by Carole Boyce Davies
Walter Rodney (1942–1980)
Country: Guyana
A historian, political theorist, and activist, Walter Rodney is best known for his groundbreaking book How Europe Underdeveloped Africa and his leadership in the Working People’s Alliance in Guyana. Rodney’s Marxist approach to Caribbean history and his grassroots activism made him a target of political violence—he was assassinated in 1980.
Read: The Groundings With My Brothers by Walter Rodney, A History of the Guyanese Working People, 1881-1905 by Walter Rodney, and Walter Rodney (Caribbean Biography Series) by Rupert Lewis
Nanny of the Maroons (c. 1686–c. 1755)
Country: Jamaica
A national heroine of Jamaica, Queen Nanny led the Windward Maroons in guerrilla warfare against British colonizers. Her mastery of military strategy and spiritual leadership helped secure land and autonomy for the Maroons. She remains a symbol of African resistance and Black womanhood in the Caribbean.
Read: The Mother of Us All: A History of Queen Nanny, Leader of the Windward Jamaican Maroons by Karla Gottlieb and Maroon Societies: Rebel Slave Communities in the Americas by Richard Price
Nanny Grig (Specific Dates Unknown, Late 1700s-1800s)
Country: Barbados
Nanny Grigs was an enslaved woman known for her leadership during the 1816 Bussa Rebellion in Barbados. As a domestic enslaved person, she used her mobility and access to share information and organize resistance. She is remembered as one of the few named women in Bajan resistance history.
Read: Centering Woman: Gender Discourses in Caribbean Slave Society by Hilary McD. Beckles and Nanny Grig by Dawn Harris
Marcus Garvey (1887–1940)
Country: Jamaica
Marcus Mosiah Garvey was a Pan-Africanist, journalist, and founder of the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA). His call for Black pride, economic independence, and the return to Africa movement inspired global Black liberation movements and leaders from Rastafari to Black Power and Malcolm X to Kwame Nkrumah.
Read: Philosophy and Opinions of Marcus Garvey Volumes I & II by Marcus Garvey and Amy Jacques Garvey, Garvey and Garveyism by Amy Jacques Garvey, and Marcus Garvey Life and Lessons: A Centennial Companion to the Marcus Garvey and Universal Negro Improvement Association by Marcus Garvey, Robert Abraham Hill, and Barbara Blair
Celia Cruz (1925–2003)
Country: Cuba
Known as the “Queen of Salsa,” Celia Cruz used her music to celebrate Afro-Cuban and Afro-Caribbean identity and resilience. Born in Havana, she became a global cultural icon and voice for Cuban exiles. Her powerful voice and bold, azucar-like style helped bring Afro-Latin music and identity to international prominence.
Read: Celia: My Life by Celia Cruz and Ana Cristina Reymundo and Undisputed Queen of Salsa (album) by Celia Cruz
Toussaint Louverture (1743–1803)
Country: Haiti
A general and leader of the Haitian Revolution, Toussaint Louverture turned a slave revolt into the successful anti-colonial movement, establishing the first Black republic in the Western Hemisphere. His military genius and political leadership laid the groundwork for Haitian independence in 1804.
Read: Toussaint Louverture: The French Revolution and the Colonial Problem by Aime Cesaire and The Black Jacobins: Toussaint L'Ouverture and the San Domingo Revolution by C.L.R. James
The Mirabal Sisters (Patria: 1924–1960, Minerva: 1926–1960, María Teresa: 1935–1960)
Country: Dominican Republic
Known as “Las Mariposas,” the Mirabal Sisters were political activists who opposed the dictatorship of Rafael Trujillo. Their assassination in 1960 became a turning point in Dominican resistance, and they are now honored every November 25th on the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.
Read: Alive in Their Garden: The True Story of the Mirabal Sisters and Their Fight for Freedom by Dedé Mirabal and In the Time of the Butterflies by Julia Alvarez
Aimé Césaire (1913–2008)
Country: Martinique
A poet, playwright, and politician, Aimé Césaire co-founded the Négritude movement, which celebrated Black identity and culture in the Francophone world. He was a strong anti-colonial voice and served as mayor of Fort-de-France for decades. His work continues to influence Caribbean intellectual thought and postcolonial theory.
Read: Notebook of a Return to the Native Land by Aimé Césaire, Discourse on Colonialism by Aimé Césaire, Aimé Césaire (Caribbean Biography Series) by Elizabeth Walcott-Hackshaw, and The Negritude Movement: W.E.B. Du Bois, Leon Damas, Aime Cesaire, Leopold Senghor, Frantz Fanon, and the Evolution of an Insurgent Idea by Reiland Rabaka