Alexander Bravo facts for kids

Alexander Bravo (1797 – March 1868), sometimes spelled Alexandre Bravo, was an important figure in Jamaica's history. He was a merchant, a politician, and the Auditor-General of Jamaica. Bravo was also the first Jewish person to be elected to the House of Assembly of Jamaica, which was the main government body at the time.

Biography of Alexander Bravo

Alexander Moses Bravo was born in Kingston, Jamaica. His father, Moses Bravo, was a Jewish merchant who owned large farms called plantations. These plantations grew crops like sugar cane and coffee. Alexander Bravo lived at a place called Bravo Penn.

He was involved in local government in Kingston. He also served as the Custos for the parish of Clarendon. Alexander had three brothers, including Charles Clement and Phineas Bravo.

During this time, many people in Jamaica were forced to work on plantations without pay. This was called slavery. In 1833, the British government passed a law called the Slavery Abolition Act 1833. This law ended slavery in many British areas, including Jamaica. After this, the government paid money to people who had owned plantations and the people who worked on them.

Alexander Bravo received payments because he owned several large farms. These farms included Knight's Estate, Marly Mount, and Mount Moses. Records show he received a payment of about £13,157 at the time. This was part of a larger loan the British government took out to pay former plantation owners.

In 1832, Bravo ran for a position on the Kingston Common Council. He lost this election to Price Watkins. Watkins was the first person of color to run for this council. This election showed that many free black and mixed-race people were working together against Bravo.

However, in 1835, Alexander Bravo made history. He became the first Jewish person to be elected to the House of Assembly of Jamaica. This was a very important step for Jewish people in Jamaica.

Personal Life

Alexander Bravo was married to Sarah Nunes Henriques. They had several children together. Some of their children included Moses (born 1825), Alexandre Kelly (born 1829), and Harriet Redware (born 1830).

See also

• History of the Jews in Jamaica