presented by
Ujamaa Health Food Store & Know Your Female Power Production Series
featuring
Diane Dixon as Ms. Lou and poets Ras Ingus Moulton, Sister Dawn Dawkins-Nedd, Ivie Bien-Aime, Econzi Benjamin, Efuru, Empress Poetry, Ras Adisa Minka, Ras Osagyefo, Ras Atiba, Haqq Sellasie & co.
Live on AfrobeatRadio on WBAI 99.5 FM NYC on September 03, 2025 on WBAI 99.5 FM, NYC. Listen live here
Who is Dr. Louise Bennett-Coverley?
Dr. Louise Bennett-Coverley, affectionately known as “Miss Lou,” was a beloved Jamaican poet, folklorist, actress, writer, educator, and cultural ambassador. Born in Kingston in 1919, she broke barriers as the first Black student to study at London’s Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), supported by a British Council scholarship. Miss Lou pioneered the use of Jamaican Patois as a powerful and legitimate medium for poetry, storytelling, and performance—bringing the language of the people to the forefront of literature and stage, even when it meant facing rejection from mainstream publications. Through her vibrant voice, she preserved and celebrated the cultural identity of Jamaica while inspiring generations at home and abroad.
Throughout her extraordinary career, Miss Lou received numerous national and international honors, including the Order of Jamaica (1974), the Order of Merit (2001), and an honorary Doctorate of Letters from York University in Canada (1998). She also earned recognition in film, winning the Best Original Song award from the Academy of Canadian Cinema and Television in 1988. Having lived her later years in Toronto, she remained an enduring cultural icon until her passing in 2006. Today, Miss Lou’s legacy continues to resonate as a testament to the beauty, resilience, and global significance of Jamaican language and culture.