20 October 1969
National Heroes Day was first celebrated on 20 October 1969.
Honouring Jamaica’s National Heroes
National heritage
Jamaica National Heroes Day 2026
Learn about the seven people appointed to the Order of National Hero, the history of the public holiday, National Heritage Week and the National Honours and Awards announced for 2026.
Programme status checked:
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National Heroes Day and Heritage Week
Third Monday in October
The public holiday is observed each year on the third Monday in October.
National Heritage Week
National Heritage Week is observed during the week leading to National Heroes Day.
Traditional observances
Activities traditionally include national and parish religious services, floral tributes, civic ceremonies, heritage programmes and the National Honours and Awards Ceremony.
These are descriptions of established observances, not a claim that a particular venue or time has been confirmed for 2026.
Lives of leadership, resistance and nation-building
The short biographies below use restrained local lettermarks instead of external photographs.
Nanny of the Maroons
A leader of the Windward Maroons, Nanny is remembered for military and spiritual leadership in Maroon resistance to British forces and for helping sustain the community centred at Nanny Town in Portland.
Samuel “Sam” Sharpe
A Baptist deacon and enslaved man, Sharpe organised the 1831–32 resistance known as the Christmas Rebellion or Baptist War. He was executed in Montego Bay in 1832.
Marcus Mosiah Garvey
Born in St Ann’s Bay in 1887, Garvey founded the Universal Negro Improvement Association in 1914 and built an international movement promoting Black dignity, unity and self-determination.
George William Gordon
A businessman, landowner, Baptist leader and member of the House of Assembly, Gordon advocated for poor Jamaicans. He was arrested and executed after the Morant Bay events of 1865.
Paul Bogle
A Baptist deacon from Stony Gut, Bogle led the October 1865 march to Morant Bay amid grievances about poverty, justice and political representation. He was captured and executed that month.
Norman Washington Manley
A lawyer, labour advocate and political leader, Manley founded the People’s National Party in 1938. As Chief Minister and Premier, he helped advance self-government and the path to Independence.
Sir Alexander Bustamante
A trade-union and political leader associated with the 1938 labour movement, Bustamante founded the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union and Jamaica Labour Party and became independent Jamaica’s first Prime Minister in 1962.
2026 National Honours & Awards
One hundred and forty Jamaicans were announced for National Honours and Awards in 2026. The presentation ceremony is associated with National Heroes Day, Monday, 19 October 2026.
Order of Jamaica appointees
- Richard Byles
- Donette Chin-Loy Chang
- Daryl Vaz
- Maxine Henry-Wilson
- Derrick Smith
- Diana Stewart
- Christopher Zacca
About the order: The Order of Jamaica is a national honour and should not be confused with the Order of National Hero, Jamaica’s highest order.
The full honours list is not reproduced here; consult the official Government listing linked in the source register.
National Heritage Week programme
National Heritage Week leads into National Heroes Day on Monday, 19 October 2026. LimeGrid will add the national and parish programme as it is published by JCDC and JIS.
No 2025 venue, time or parish schedule is being presented as 2026 information.
National Heroes quiz
Fourteen questions use only facts on this page. There is no timer, account or personal-data collection. Every answer remains available without JavaScript.
National Heroes puzzles
National Heroes crossword
Solve verified clues about the seven heroes, freedom, justice and heritage.
Play the crossword →National Heroes word search
Find names and themes connected with the National Heroes.
Open Word & Quote Search →Emancipation & Independence
Continue with Jamaica’s freedom and nationhood history.
Open the history archive →Official source register
Primary Government of Jamaica, JCDC and National Library sources were used first. Older programme articles support only the description of traditional activities; no older venue or time is presented as a 2026 event.
- JCDC: National Celebrations — National Heritage Week timing and established religious, floral, civic and honours observances.
- JCDC: Events Calendar — checked for a current 2026 Heritage Week programme.
- JIS: National Heroes — official biographies and historical overview.
- National Library of Jamaica: National Heroes — biographical reference.
- JIS: National Heroes Day history — first celebration on 20 October 1969.
- JIS: Order of National Hero — Jamaica’s highest order.
- JIS: 2026 National Honours and Awards announcement — total recipients and Order of Jamaica appointees.