The Order of the National Hero is an honour awarded by the government of Jamaica. It is a part of the Jamaican honours system that has been in place since 1969.
| Order of the National Hero | |
|---|---|
| Awarded for | Services of the most distinguished nature |
| Presented by |  Jamaica |
| Eligibility | Jamaican citizens or Jamaican born |
| Post-nominals | National Hero of Jamaica ONH |
| Motto | "Out of many, one people" "He built a city which hath foundations" |
| Established | 1968 |
| First awarded | 1969 |
| Total awarded posthumously | 6 |
| Total recipients | 7 |
 Neck ribbon  Sash ribbon | |
| Precedence | |
| Next (higher) | None |
| Next (lower) | Order of the Nation |
Description
editThe highest of the five Jamaican Orders of the Societies of Honour, the Order of National Hero is given only to Jamaican citizens for "services of the most distinguished nature" to the nation. It can be awarded either posthumously or on the occasion of the recipient's retirement from active public life.[1]
Recipients are permitted to wear the insignia of the Order, and they are given the style of "The Right Excellent".[2] They are also traditionally honoured with a tomb or monument in National Heroes Park, as well as a plaque or shield displayed in some prominent national place, such as the Institute of Jamaica.[1] The title of "National Hero of Jamaica" or the post-nominal letters ONH can be used following a recipient's name.
The Order of National Hero was created by the National Honours and Awards Act, which was passed by Parliament in 1969. This act also designated Paul Bogle, George William Gordon, and Marcus Garvey as the first three recipients of the honour.[1]
The insignia of the Order of National Hero is a fourteen-pointed gold and white star, centered on a black enameled medallion. The medallion features the Jamaican coat of arms in gold relief, and it is encircled by the motto of the Order, which is "He built a city which hath foundations". The insignia is typically worn on a neck ribbon in the national colors of Jamaica (black, gold and green), along with a laurel wreath of gold and green enamel.[1]
Recipients
editAs of 2015[update], the Order of National Hero has been conferred upon 7 recipients:[2]
- Sir Alexander Bustamante, first prime minister
- Marcus Garvey, political activist and philosopher
- George William Gordon, critic of the colonial government
- Norman Manley, first and only Premier of Jamaica
- Nanny of the Maroons, leader of the Windward Maroons, composed of escaped slaves and their descendants
- Samuel Sharpe, leader of the Baptist War slave rebellion
- Paul Bogle, deacon and activist, leader of the 1865 Morant Bay protesters
References
edit- General
- Order of National Hero, Jamaica Information Service.
- Order of National Hero, Office of the Prime Minister.
- Inline
- ^ a b c d "National Honours and Awards" Archived 2006-05-10 at the Wayback Machine, Jamaica's Ministry of Foreign Affairs & Foreign Trade, accessed April 13, 2006.
- ^ a b "National Awards of Jamaica" Archived 2021-12-20 at the Wayback Machine, Jamaica Information Service, accessed May 12, 2015.
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