Claude McKay's Marker and Birthplace

Statement of Significance

The Claude McKay Marker was erected on the grounds of the Claude McKay High School by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust, formerly the Jamaica National Trust Commission, and unveiled on December 12, 1980. This marker was created to honor the legacy of the internationally acclaimed Jamaican poet, activist, and leading member of the Harlem Renaissance, Claude McKay. The birthplace of Claude McKay, however, is situated in the village of Nairne Castle, located in the James Hill District of the parish of Clarendon. This structure is referred to as Sunny Vile and was where the poet spent his formative years. Claude McKay was born on September 15, 1889; therefore, the structure is over 130 years old. It was in this house that McKay was taught the African heritage of his mother that later influenced the revolutionary nature of his literary works.

Historical Significance

Claude McKay was a great poet whose works were largely shaped by his experiences. Though McKay was always talented, had it not been for some gratuitous experiences, he would not have become such an esteemed intellectual. Young McKay received his education from his older brother, Uriah McKay, who was a graduate of the Mico College. Uriah taught his brother to be passionate and curious, and such traits made him a serious activist later in life. Later, in 1906, McKay went to trade school in Kingston in order to acquire a skill that could provide him with employment. But in 1907, Kingston was ravaged by an earthquake; this forced McKay to return home. This decision resulted in conditions favorable to the intellectual growth of the budding poet. It was while working for a local tradesman by the name of “Old Benga”, during 1907-1909, that he met his mentor, the British intellectual, Walter Jekyll. Jekyll not only encouraged him to produce better works, but he was also instructed to write in the Jamaican dialect.

Though obviously talented, McKay was still unsure of his professional pursuits; therefore, he enrolled in the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) in 1911. But this was not his passion, and with the assistance of Walter Jekyll, he was able to secure early release from the JCF without serving the full five year term. McKay’s experience with racism in the JCF and the struggles with urban life provided the inspiration for much of his poetry. Despite the wide acceptance of British cultural standards in Jamaica at the time, McKay relied on Jamaican Creole language and culture. In 1912, he published two volumes of poetry, Songs of Jamaica and Constab Ballads, which reflected his strong views on Jamaican society. It is not surprising that these poems sold over two thousand copies, won the Silver Musgrave Medal of the Institute of Jamaica, and are seen as critical to the development of Jamaican national literature.

McKay migrated to the United States in 1912 and enrolled in the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama to study agronomy. He experienced extreme racism during his time in the Southern United States and transferred to Kansas State College. However, becoming an academic was not his passion, and by 1914 he moved to Harlem, New York, which would eventually become a magnet for Black writers and intellectuals. McKay took several odd jobs to earn a living in New York. These experiences later influenced some of his greater works. While living in New York, he became a member of the literary circle and spent much time improving his writing, and his efforts proved to be quite successful.

In 1917, two of his poems were published by Seven Arts Magazine, the Invocation and the Harlem Dancer. However, it was in September 1918 that McKay’s illustrious career started to unfold. Five of his poems were published in Pearson’s Magazine; this earned him the recognition of the magazine’s editor, Frank Harris, and Max Eastman, editor of the Liberator, a socialist journal. Both men played a pivotal role in launching the career of McKay in the United States. McKay later became an editor at the Liberator, where he could express his revolutionary politics. In the poem written If We Must Die (1919) written after the turbulent days of Red Summer, in which numerous Blacks were killed, he outrightly encouraged Blacks to stand up to their White oppressors, even at the expense of dying. McKay was not only a poet but also an activist interested in spreading the message of equality. He left America for England in 1919, which became another site of professional and political growth. In England, he wrote for the British socialist journal, ‘Workers Drednought’ and published Spring in New Hampshire, a book of poetry in which he expressed nostalgia for his homeland, Jamaica. After a series of raids, the British government shut down the journal; which necessitated McKay’s to return to America in 1921.

During his years in America, he composed poetry representing his understanding of the Black dilemma in Western culture. Themes such as anger, racism, and alienation found an expression in his book Harlem Shadows. In the 1920s, McKay continued to explore the world and made trips to the Soviet Union, Russia, France, and Africa. He also experienced great literary success in this decade. It was during this period that he wrote Home to Harlem (1928), the most popular novel written by a Black author at the time. Other novels written by McKay included Banjo: A Story without a Plot (1929), which examines Black identity in a capitalist environment. Unlike Home to Harlem, Banjo and his later collection of short stories known as Gingertown (1932) were not commercial successes. In 1933, however, he was able to reinvent himself with the publication of Banana Bottom, often seen as his best work.

In later years, McKay remained a socialist but no longer supported communism. In addition, he joined the Roman Catholic faith in 1944. He never returned to Jamaica, but his love for his country never faded, resulting in his memoirs titled “My Green Hills of Jamaica”, written in the latter years of his life. As a result of his astounding success, he was posthumously awarded the Order of Jamaica in 1977, and in 1980 a monument dedicated to his legacy was unveiled at the Claude McKay High School in James Hill. McKay also received international awards such as the Harmon Gold Award for contribution to literature from the Harmon Foundation in 1928. Though long deceased, he remains an international icon and is often seen as a major influence on the Harlem Renaissance.

McKay is also credited with influencing the Negritude Movement - a literary movement whose proponents advocated for an African-based aesthetic founded on what the writers of the Harlem Renaissance instituted.

Inherent Features

Claude McKay’s Marker

The marker is a concrete structure, painted black, and is prism-shaped. This structure has a top width of 9 ½ inches and a bottom width of 24 inches, while the height is 60 inches. In the middle of the marker is a White plaque containing an inscription that describes the legacy of Claude McKay.

Claude McKay’s Birthplace

This building is a concrete structure consisting of a fenced roof, along with iron rails supporting the roof of the veranda. There is also the presence of a garden in the front of the yard.

The marker is ideally located in the middle of the school and occupies a large space. Therefore, the centrality of the location makes it quite prominent and easily viewed.

Identity – Local/National/Regional

The marker was erected by the Jamaica National Heritage Trust and unveiled on December 12, 1980, on the grounds of the Claude McKay High School in James Hill, Clarendon. It is ideally located in the middle of the school and occupies a large space. Therefore, the centrality of the location makes it quite prominent and easily viewed.

McKay’s Birthplace, however, is located in the community of Nairne Castle, an original free village. Nairne Castle is a remote community in the James Hill district in the parish of Clarendon. The structure has become an important monument in the community and is well regarded by residents.