Herbert George de LisserCMG (9 December 1878 – 19 May 1944) was aJamaicanjournalist and author. He has been called "one of the most conspicuous figures in the history ofWest Indian literature".[1]
De Lisser was born inFalmouth, Jamaica, to parents who were ofAfro-Jewish descent,[2] and attended theCollegiate School inKingston.[1]
He started work at theInstitute of Jamaica at the age of 14. Three years later he joined theJamaica Daily Gleaner, of which his father waseditor, as aproofreader, and two years later became a reporter on theJamaica Times.
In 1903, De Lisser became assistant editor of theGleaner and was editor within the year. He wrote several articles for the paper every day.
In 1909 he published a collection of essays,In Cuba and Jamaica, and 1912 saw the publication of his second book,Twentieth Century Jamaica.[2] He went on to produce a novel or non-fiction book every year. His first work of fiction,Jane: A Story of Jamaica, is significant for being the first West Indian novel to have a central black character.[1]
Another famous novel of his,The White Witch of Rosehall (1929), is linked to alegend of a haunting in Jamaica. De Lisser also wrote several plays.[1] In December 1920 he began publishing an annual magazine,Planters' Punch.[3]
De Lisser devoted much time and effort to the revival of the Jamaicansugar industry and represented Jamaica at a number of sugar conferences around the world. He was also general secretary of theJamaica Imperial Association, honorary president of theJamaica Press Association, and chairman of theWest Indian section of theEmpire Press Union.
He was appointedCompanion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 1920New Year Honours.[4]
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