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The Colony of Jamaica gained independence from the United Kingdom on 6 August 1962. In Jamaica, this date is celebrated as Independence Day, a national holiday. The island became an imperial colony in 1509 when Spain attempted to erase the Indigenous Taino people from not only the face of the earth, but history itself.
After more than 300 hundred years of British colonial rule, Jamaica gained independence on August 6, 1962. The road to independence was long and hard but with prominent and instrumental figures such as Sir Alexander Bustamante and Norman Manley, Jamaica gained its freedom for self-governance.
Jamaica - Colonialism, Slavery, Independence: The following history of Jamaica focuses on events from the time of European contact. For treatments of the island in its regional context, see West Indies and history of Latin America.
The Jamaica Independence Act was formerly presented on May 22, 1962, was later approved by Royal assent on July 19, and came into effect on August 6. Today, Jamaica’s independence day, as well as Trinidad and Tobago’s on August 31st, mark a necessary transition for the Atlantic world.
On August 6, 1962, Jamaica became independent with full dominion status within the Commonwealth, under a constitution that retained the British monarch as head of state. Bustamante assumed the title of prime minister. The following year Jamaica joined the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
On August 6, 1962, Jamaica became an Independent Nation and a member of the British Commonwealth. Jamaica becoming an Independent Nation meant that Britain, no longer controlled the affairs of the country. It was now the responsibility of the newly elected Prime Minister and the locally elected Cabinet.
On September 19, 1961, Jamaica held a referendum to decide whether to remain in the Federation. The majority voted ‘No’ and preparations began for Jamaica’s withdrawal. Now out of federation, Norman Manley announced that his government would proceed with preparations for independence.