Martin Carter facts for kids

Martin Wylde Carter (born June 7, 1927 – died December 13, 1997) was a famous Guyanese poet and political activist. Many people think he was the greatest Guyanese poet ever. He is also seen as one of the most important poets from the Caribbean region.

Carter is best known for his poems about protest, standing up for what's right, and change. He was very active in Guyanese politics. This was especially true in the years before Guyana became independent in 1966. He also played a role in the years right after independence.

The British government in Guyana (then called British Guiana) put him in prison in October 1953. They said he was "spreading trouble." He was arrested again in June 1954 for joining a march by the PPP. Soon after his first release from prison, he published his most famous poetry book. It was called Poems of Resistance from British Guiana (1954).

Early Life and Poetry

Martin Carter was born in Georgetown on June 7, 1927. At that time, it was called British Guiana. His parents were Victor Emmanuel and Violet Eugene Carter. He was one of seven children in his family.

From 1938 to 1947, he went to Queen's College school in Georgetown. After school, Carter decided not to go to university. Instead, he started working for the government. He worked at the Post Office and then for the Prison Service.

In 1948, Carter's poetry was first published. A small part of his poem "An Ode to Midnight" appeared in a magazine. The magazine was called Kyk-Over-Al.

Political Involvement

In 1950, Carter helped start a political party called the People's Progressive Party (PPP). This party believed in socialism and was against colonial rule. Cheddi Jagan led the party. In the same year, Carter published another poem, "The Indian Woman." It was in the PPP's newspaper, Thunder. He used the pen name M. Black for this poem.

Carter married Phyllis Howard in 1953. Their first child, Keith, was born later that year. In 1953, Carter left his government job. He ran for the PPP in the first elections where everyone could vote in British Guiana. He did not win, but the PPP won many seats.

In October 1953, the British government declared a "State of Emergency" in Guyana. This meant they took special powers. Carter was arrested and held without official charges. He was suspected of "spreading trouble." Eusi Kwayana and Cheddi Jagan were also arrested.

While in prison, Carter took part in a hunger strike for one month. This was a protest against being held without charges. He stayed in prison until January 1954. After his release, he was ordered to stay in Georgetown. These restrictions lasted until 1957.

Poems of Resistance

In May 1954, Carter's book Poems of Resistance from British Guiana was published in London. This made him one of the first Caribbean poets to have his work published outside the Caribbean.

In June 1954, he was arrested again. This time, it was for joining a PPP march. He was in prison for six months, until December that year. His second child, Sonia, was born soon after he was released.

Later Life and Work

The PPP party later split into two groups. A new party, the People's National Congress (PNC), was formed in 1955. Carter first stayed with the PPP. However, he was removed from the PPP in 1956. The party said his ideas were too extreme.

After leaving the PPP, he worked for a short time at the British Council in Georgetown. Then, he worked for a longer period (1959–1967) for Booker. This was a large company that owned sugar farms in Guyana.

Guyana became independent in May 1966. Carter then left Booker. He joined the PNC government in 1967 as the Minister of Information and Culture. From 1966 to 1967, he represented Guyana at the United Nations.

Carter became worried about how the PNC government was developing. He left his government job in November 1970. He said he wanted to live "simply as a poet, remaining with the people."

From 1970 to 1978, he worked for Booker again. He left for the last time in 1978. He then became a teacher of creative writing at the University of Guyana. During this time, he wrote Poems of Succession, published in 1977.

In 1978, he was injured during a protest against the PNC. He supported the Working People's Alliance at this time. This group was led by Eusi Kwayana and Walter Rodney. However, he never officially joined the party.

In 1992, Carter went on a tour of the UK with other Guyanese writers. These included Wilson Harris, Fred D'Aguiar, and Grace Nichols. In 1993, Carter had a stroke. This made him unable to walk or talk.

He passed away on December 13, 1997. His wife and four children survived him. He was buried in the Place of Heroes at the Botanical Gardens in Georgetown. This honor is usually given only to leaders of the country.

Awards and Recognition

• 1989 Guyana Prize for Literature
• 1994 Order of Roraima for his great contribution to literature
• 1996 Gabriela Mistral Inter-American Prize for Culture for his contribution to literature

See also

In Spanish: Martin Carter para niños