Strictly Facts’ Women’s History Month: 31 Caribbean Women to Know #7-12
Woman #7: Florenz Webbe Maxwell
Florenz Webbe Maxwell is a Bermudian activist, librarian, and award-winning author whose work helped reshape Bermuda’s social and cultural landscape. As a member of the Progressive Group, she helped organize the historic 1959 Theatre Boycott, a peaceful protest that successfully challenged segregation and led to the desegregation of movie theaters across Bermuda.
Beyond activism, Maxwell has continued to preserve and share this history through literature. She is the author of the award-winning young adult novel Girlcott, which introduces a new generation to the courage and strategy behind Bermuda’s civil rights movement. 📚🇧🇲
Woman #8: Dr. Beryl Gilroy
Dr. Beryl Gilroy was a pioneering educator, writer, and ethno-psychotherapist whose life helped transform education and Black British intellectual life. Born in then British Guiana, she migrated to the United Kingdom as part of the Windrush Generation, confronting racism and discrimination as she pursued a career in teaching. In 1969, she made history by becoming London’s first Black head teacher.
Beyond the classroom, Gilroy was a prolific writer and scholar whose work explored Caribbean identity, migration, education, and the psychological experiences of Black communities in Britain. Through both her educational leadership and her writing, she opened doors for generations that followed. 📚🇬🇾
Woman #9: Ruby Bute
Ruby Bute was a beloved Caribbean cultural icon whose life’s work helped define the artistic and literary landscape of Saint Martin. Born in Aruba to parents from Sint Maarten, she later made Saint Martin the center of her creative mission, dedicating decades to preserving and celebrating the island’s culture through visual art, poetry, and storytelling.
Known as the “First Dame of St. Martin’s Cultural Arts,” folk artist Bute became the first woman from the island to both publish a book, "Golden Voices of S'maatin," and hold a solo art exhibition, opening doors for generations of artists and writers to follow. Her paintings, poems, and community work captured the spirit, beauty, and everyday life of Saint Martin. 🎨📚
Woman #10: Elfreda Reyes
Elfreda Reyes was a fearless labor and women’s rights activist whose organizing helped shape the social reform movements of British Honduras, now Belize. Born to parents from Barbados, she became a powerful voice for the unemployed, working-class communities, and women. Her activism helped mobilize people during a critical period in Belize’s push for political and social change. 🇧🇿✊🏾
Woman #11: Omara Portuondo
Omara Portuondo is one of Cuba’s most beloved musical icons, celebrated for her powerful voice, elegance, and enduring influence on Latin music. A multi-Grammy Award–winning boleros singer and dancer, she began her career as a founding member of the female vocal group Cuarteto d’Aida, helping to redefine Cuban popular music in the mid-twentieth century.
Portuondo later gained international acclaim as a star vocalist with the legendary Buena Vista Social Club, bringing the rich traditions of Cuban bolero, son, and canción to global audiences. With a career spanning more than seven decades, she remains a symbol of artistic excellence and cultural pride. 🇨🇺 🎶
Woman #6: Maria Liberia Peters
Maria Liberia Peters is a pioneering political leader from Curaçao who made history as the first female Prime Minister of the Netherlands Antilles. Born to parents from Sint Maarten and Saba, she rose from a career in education and community advocacy to become one of the most influential political figures in the Dutch Caribbean. Peters went on to lead the Netherlands Antilles as prime minister from 1984 to 1986 and again from 1988 to 1994. Her leadership made her the longest-serving female prime minister in the history of the Kingdom of the Netherlands and she remains active today. 🇨🇼