Fred W. Kennedy
Fred W. Kennedy | |
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 Fred W. Kennedy in 2022 | |
| Born | Fred William Kennedy July 28, 1950 |
| Education | B.A., Graduate Diploma in Education, University of West Indies Master of Education, Doctor of Education, University of Toronto. |
Fred W. Kennedy (born July 28, 1950 in Kingston, Jamaica) is a Jamaican/Canadian educator and writer.[1]
Early life and education
[edit]Kennedy was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica,[1] the second youngest of five children born to Luis Fred Kennedy and Lydia Mathilde Kennedy (née Loinaz). He attended St. George's College, and later obtained a Bachelor of Arts and a Graduate Diploma in Education from the University of West Indies,[2] both in Kingston. Kennedy speaks both English and Spanish.
Teaching career and continuing education
[edit]Kennedy began his career as a teacher at York Castle High School in Brown's Town, Jamaica in 1973. In 1976, Kennedy emigrated to Toronto, Canada, where he began working as a secondary school teacher in the Toronto District School Board (TDSB). Kennedy obtained a Master of Education degree in 1984 and a Doctoral of Education degree in 1995, both from the University of Toronto.[2] Following several years as a secondary school teacher, Kennedy worked in the TDSB as a secondary school Vice Principal.
From 2004 to 2006, Kennedy returned to Kingston, Jamaica to serve as Headmaster at his alma mater, St. George's College.[3] Although St. Georges was originally founded as a school for boys only, in 2005 Kennedy instituted a co-educational pre-university program for both female and male students.[4] Kennedy retired in 2006.
In 2015, Kennedy was awarded the Monsignor Gladstone Wilson award for his contribution to the advancement of St. George's College and its Old Boy's Association.[5]
Writing career
[edit]Kennedy is the author of three books; Daddy Sharpe, Huareo, and Firstborn.
Daddy Sharpe
[edit]Daddy Sharpe – A Narrative of the Life and Adventures Of Samuel Sharpe, A West Indian Slave Written by Himself, 1832[6] is a fictionalized first-hand account of the life of Samuel Sharpe, an enslaved Jamaican who led the Great Jamaican Slave Rebellion, also known as the Christmas Rebellion, from 1931 to 1932.[7][8] Daddy Sharpe was published in 2008 by Ian Randle Publishers, Jamaica.
Huareo
[edit]Huareo: Story of a Jamaican Cacique[9] is a fictionalized account of the life of Huareo, a tribal chieftan, or cacique, of the Taino people in pre-colonial Jamaica at the time of the first contact with Spanish colonial settlers between 1494 and 1509.[10][11] Huareo was published in 2015 by Ian Randle Publishers, Jamaica.
Huareo - Spanish Edition
[edit]In 2016, a Spanish edition of Huareo was released: Huareo: Cacique de Jamaica,[12] also published by Ian Randle Publishers.
Firstborn
[edit]Firstborn – The Life of Luis Fred Kennedy 1908-1982[13] is a biography of the life of Kennedy’s father, Luis Fred Kennedy, a Jamaican businessman who co-managed and later served as Governing Director of Grace Kennedy & Co. Ltd.[14] Firstborn was published in 2022 by Friesen Press, Canada.
Awards
[edit]Kennedy's third book, Firstborn, was awarded the 2023 Gold Book Award from the Nonfiction Authors Association.[1] Firstborn was also recognised as a finalist in the 2023 International book awards in the category Biography:General.[15]
GraceKennedy Foundation Involvement
[edit]Kennedy is currently the Chair of the GraceKennedy Foundation, the charitable foundation of the Grace Kennedy & Co. Ltd. corporation. He was appointed Chair of this foundation in 2017.[16]
Personal life
[edit]Kennedy and his wife, Georgianne, reside in Jamaica and in Canada.[1] They have three daughters and seven grandchildren.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "BOOK AWARD WINNER: FIRSTBORN: THE LIFE OF LUIS FRED KENNEDY 1908-1982 BY FRED W. KENNEDY". Nonfiction Authors Association. 14 June 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
- ^ a b "Find a teacher". Ontario College of Teachers. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
- ^ "New acting principal for St George's". Kingston Gleaner. Jamaica Gleaner. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
- ^ "St. George's College Taking it to the next level". Kingston Gleaner. Jamaica Gleaner. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
- ^ "Four St. George's College old boys to get the Monsignor Gladstone Wilson award". The Gleaner. Jamaica Gleaner. 18 September 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
- ^ Kennedy, Fred W. Daddy Sharpe – A Narrative of the Life and Adventures Of Samuel Sharpe, A West Indian Slave Written by Himself, 1832, Ian Randal Publishers, 2015.
- ^ "'Daddy Sharpe' Launched in Toronto". Jamaica Information Service. jis.gov.jm. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
- ^ "Dr. Fred Kennedy talks slavery, reparations and culture in Jamaica Society (Part 2)". The Gleaner. Jamaica Gleaner. 5 August 2018. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
- ^ Kennedy, Fred W. Huareo: Story of a Jamaican Cacique, Ian Randal Publishers, 2015.
- ^ "The West Indies and Special Collections (WI&SC) Receives New Publication". Mona Library. University of West Indies. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
- ^ "Giving the Tainos a voice - An Interview with Dr Fred Kennedy, author of Huareo - Story of a Jamaican Cacique". The Gleaner. Jamaica Gleaner. 5 June 2016. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
- ^ Kennedy, Fred W. Huareo: Cacique de Jamaica, Ian Randal Publishers, 2016.
- ^ Kennedy, Fred W. Firstborn - The Life of Luis Fred Kennedy 1908-1982, Friesen Press, 2022.
- ^ "Book launch of "FIRSTBORN: The Life of Luis: Fred Kennedy 1908- 1982" highlights the success of Grace Kennedy". Toronto Caribbean. 25 January 2023. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
- ^ "2023 International Book Awards". International Book Awards. American Book Fest. Retrieved 8 July 2023.
- ^ "Fred Kennedy is new chair". Jamaica Observer News. Jamaica Observer. 29 November 2017. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
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