Caribbean Life, S 6 EPTEMBER 10-16, 2021
Dr. Ken Irish-Bramble and his daughters, Kenia, 16, and Kenese, 12, during
Carnival March on Labor Day. Photo by Nelson A. King
Former CRC head honored
posthumously as March Marshal
By Nelson A. King
The Brooklyn-based West Indian
American Day Carnival Association
(WIADCA) on Labor Day, Monday,
bestowed special honor on Dr. J.A.
George Irish, former head
of the Caribbean Research
Center (CRC) at Brooklyn’s
Medgar Evers College,
bestowing on him
posthumously the title of
March Marshal.
Montserratian-born Dr.
Irish was also the dean of
the School of Liberal Arts
and professor of Caribbean
and Latin American
Studies at Medgar Evers
College.
Additionally, Dr. Irish
was the founder and pastor
of the Bronx-based
Dr. Patricia Ramsey,
the new and fi rst
woman president ever
of Brooklyn’s Medgar
Evers College, introduces
Spiritual Awakening Ministries.
He was among three
other March Marshals
named by WIADCA. The other were:
New York City First Lady Chirlane
McCray, who traces her roots to Barbados
Dr. Ken Irish-
Bramble. Photo by Nelson
A.King
and St. Lucia; Rabbi Eli Cohen,
executive director of the Brooklynbased
Jewish Community Council; and
Dr. Henri Paul, of the Brooklyn-based
Haitian Medical and Disaster Relief
Organization.
During a press conference on Labor
Day, at the Brooklyn Museum, Dr. Patricia
Ramsey, the new and first woman
president ever of Medgar Evers College,
introduced Dr. Ken Irish-Bramble, Dr.
Irish’s St. Martin-born son, who accepted
the award in honor of his late father.
Dr. Irish-Bramble, a professor of
political science at Medgar Evers College,
told the carnival gathering that
WIADCA’s work is “a reflection of his
(Dr. Irish) ideals.”
He later told Caribbean Life that “it
was an honor to represent my father in
recognition his life-long
support of Caribbean
people and his promotion
of Caribbean culture
and unity throughout the
Diaspora.
“He often spoke to the
importance of institutions,
like WIADCA, that
offered opportunities
for Caribbean peoples to
come together in unison
and share their common
heritage,” Dr. Irish-
Bramble said. “I believe
he would have been particularly
moved by this
honor, as it speaks to
his belief that Caribbean
artistic expression is second
to none.
“The fact that we were able to have
these events, despite the challenges
of the day, speaks to the resilience of
Caribbean people,” he added. “I want to
again thank the organizing committee
for acknowledging his contributions to
the Caribbean Diaspora.”
In March 2019, then Montserrat Premier,
Donaldson Romeo, was among
thousands of mourners in Harlem who
paid their last respects to the Caribbean
academic, who died on Feb. 12, 2019.
He was 76.
“I consider it a great privilege to
be allowed to stand before you today
to honor a great Montserratian whose
life has left so many memories, indelible
footprints, in all of our hearts,”
NO STOPPING