Jan Carew facts for kids

Jan Rynveld Carew (born 24 September 1920 – died 6 December 2012) was a writer, poet, and teacher from Guyana. He lived in many different countries during his life, including England, France, Canada, and the United States.

Jan Carew's writings were very important for the Caribbean region. His early novels, Black Midas and The Wild Coast (both published in 1958), helped shape West Indian literature. These books explored the Caribbean's past under colonial rule and its desire for independence.

Carew also worked with Cheddi Jagan, who later became the President of Guyana, to help Guyana gain its freedom. He was also a key figure in the Black movement in England and North America. He wrote for newspapers and created shows for radio and TV. His studies led him to question common ideas about how America was discovered. He wanted to show Christopher Columbus as a real historical figure, not just a myth. This was important for building a new understanding of the Caribbean world.

About Jan Carew

Early Life in British Guiana

Jan Rynveld Carew was born on 24 September 1920. His birthplace was Agricola, a village in British Guiana. This was a British colony in South America, which is now the country of Guyana. He was the only son among his parents' three children.

From 1924 to 1926, his family lived in the United States. However, Jan and his older sister returned to Guyana after his younger sister was kidnapped in New York. She was found and reunited with the family in 1927. Jan's father often traveled to the United States and Canada. He even worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway, traveling across North America. These stories greatly inspired young Jan.

Jan went to school in Guyana from 1926 to 1938. He attended Agricola Wesleyan School and a Catholic elementary school. Later, he went to Berbice High School in New Amsterdam. He finished his Senior Cambridge Examination in 1938.

After school, in 1939, he taught part-time at Berbice High School for Girls. But he soon joined the British Army when Second World War began. He served in the Coast Artillery Regiment until 1943. From 1943 to 1944, he worked as a customs officer in Georgetown. During this time, he published his first story and spent a lot of time painting and drawing. From 1944 to 1945, he worked in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad.

Carew saw himself as part of the wider Caribbean world. For him, this included the islands, coastal countries, and Guyana. He believed the Caribbean had a unique identity. This identity came from a mix of cultures: Amerindian, African, European, and Asian.

University Studies

When he was 25, Jan Carew moved to the United States. He studied science at Howard University and Western Reserve University from 1945 to 1948. He later studied at Charles University in Prague (1948–1950). He also attended the Sorbonne in Paris.

Life Abroad

Jan Carew described his life as "endless journeyings." He lived in many places, including the Netherlands, Mexico, England, France, Spain, Ghana, and Canada. In 1951, while in the Netherlands, he edited a poetry magazine called De Kim. In England, he acted with famous actor Laurence Olivier. He also edited the Kensington Post newspaper in 1953. He worked as a broadcaster and writer for the BBC. He also taught about race relations at London University. In 1965, he became the first editor of Magnet News, a publication for Black communities in London.

He always stayed connected to his Caribbean roots. In 1962, he became the director of culture in British Guiana. This was under the government of Dr. Cheddi Jagan. Professor Frank Birbalsingh said Carew was a strong and brave supporter of Dr. Jagan's political party.

Between 1962 and 1966, Carew lived in Jamaica with his wife, Sylvia Wynter. After that, he moved to Canada for a few years. He then settled in the USA. During this time, he edited African Review in 1965. In 1969, he became the publisher of Cotopax, a literary magazine. Carew taught at several universities, including Princeton, Rutgers, and Northwestern. He became an Emeritus Professor of African American Studies at Northwestern University.

Jan Carew passed away at his home in Louisville, Kentucky, USA. He was 92 years old. He was survived by his wife, Dr. Joy Gleason, and his children.

His memoir, Potaro Dreams: My Youth in Guyana, was published after his death in 2014. This book covered his life from 1920 to 1939. Carew saw it as a way to understand his life's journey.

His Work and Activism

Fighting for Change

Jan Carew was a leader in the field of Pan-African Studies. This area of study focuses on the history and culture of African people worldwide. He worked with many important figures. These included W. E. B. Du Bois, Paul Robeson, Langston Hughes, and Malcolm X.

Challenging History

In his book Grenada: The Hour Will Strike Again (1985), Carew explored the history of Grenada. This book was published after the American invasion of Grenada. Carew showed how the people of Grenada had always fought for their freedom. He looked back at the struggles of enslaved Africans and the island's native people.

Caring for the Environment

Eusi Kwayana noted that Carew was an environmentalist long before it was popular. Carew suggested that Guyana protect a million acres of its forestland. This idea led to a law in Guyana. The law set aside about 360,000 hectares of tropical rainforest. This area is used for research on how to manage and use forest resources sustainably. It also helps protect the many different plants and animals there.

Jan Carew's Writings

Carew wrote many different types of books. He wrote novels, short stories, plays, and non-fiction. He also wrote stories and books for children. His most famous work is his first novel, Black Midas (1958). He also wrote articles and essays for many magazines and journals.

Novels and Novellas

• Black Midas (1958)
• The Wild Coast (1958)
• The Last Barbarian (1961)
• Moscow is Not My Mecca (1964) (also called Green Winter)
• The Riverman (1987)
• The Sisters (1987)
• The Guyanese Wanderer: Stories (2007)

Poetry Collections

• Streets of Eternity (1952)
• Sea Drums in My Blood (1981)
• Return to Streets of Eternity (2015)

Books for Young Readers

• Sons of the Flying Wing (1970)
• The Third Gift, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon (1974)
• Children of the Sun, illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon (1980)
• Stranger than Tomorrow: Three Stories of the Future (1976)
• Save the Last Dance for Me, and Other Stories (1976)
• The Twins of Ilora (1977)
• The Lost Love, and Other Stories (1978)
• The Man Who Came Back (1979)
• The Cat People (1979)
• Dark Night, Deep Water (1981)
• Dead Man's Creek: Two Stories (1981)
• House of Fear: Two Stories (1981)
• Don't Go Near the Water (1982)
• Time Loop (1983)
• Death Comes to the Circus (1983)
• Computer Killer (1985)

Non-Fiction Works

• Cry Black Power (1970)
• Rope the Sun (1973)
• Indian and African Presence in the Americas (1984)
• Grenada: The Hour Will Strike Again (1985)
• Fulcrums of Change: Origins of Racism in the Americas and Other Essays (1988)
• Ghosts in Our Blood: With Malcolm X in Africa, England and the Caribbean (1994)
• Potaro Dreams: My Youth in Guyana (2014)
• Episodes in My Life: The Autobiography of Jan Carew (2015)

Plays for Radio and TV

Jan Carew wrote many plays that were broadcast on radio and television. Some of his radio plays include The River Man (1957) and Anancy and Tiger (1958) for the BBC. His television plays include The Big Pride (1961) and The Day of the Fox (1961), which starred Sammy Davis Jr..

Stage Plays

He also wrote plays for the theater. Some of these include Miracle in Lime Lane (1962), The University of Hunger (1966), and Behind God's Back (1975).

Awards and Recognition

Jan Carew received many awards throughout his life for his writing and activism. Some of these include:

• 1964: Daily Mirror Award for Best Play (for The Big Pride)
• 1974: Illinois Arts Council award for fiction
• 1974: American Institute of Graphic Arts Certificate of Excellence (for The Third Gift)
• 1977: Casa de las Américas Prize for poetry
• 1979: Pushcart Prize for his essay "The Caribbean writer and exile"
• 1985: The Walter Rodney Memorial Award
• 1985: National Film Institute Award (for the screenplay of Black Midas)
• 1998: The Paul Robeson Award (for "living a life of art and politics")
• 2008: Independent Publisher Bronze Prize for Multicultural Fiction (for The Guyanese Wanderer)