Jamaican nationalism can be defined as the continuing search for selfgovernment, sovereignty, social and economic justice, and national identity. It has resulted from a history of struggle against colonialism (Jamaica was a British colony from 1655 to 19&Z), neocolonialism since 1962, dependent capitalism, slavery, and racism. Given the complex interweaving of such factors, scholars have debated whether there are one, two, or perhaps three Jamaicas, corresponding roughly to the white, brown, and black caste/class structure of island society.’ Nationalism further divided a fragmented society, with at least four nationalist tendencies before 1938: middle-class creole nationalism, Afro-Jamaican religious nationalism, Afro-Jamaican secular nationalism, and Marxist nationalism.2 Conservative planters, merchants and their allies opposed nationalism and self-government for the colony. But after massive protests broke out in 1938, Britain encouraged reforms leading eventually to the island’s independence in 1962. The struggle for independence and state power, followed by dissatisfaction with the new status quo led to the four varieties of nationalism discussed below.