Caribbean Voices in the 1940s. Louise Bennett-Coverley (1919–2006) was a Jamaican poet and folklorist celebrated for her unique voice as "Miss Lou". Writing and performing her poems in Jamaican patois, Bennett was instrumental in having this "dialect" of the people given literary recognition in its own right ("nation language"). Other Jamaican writers who have gained international acclaim include Hazel Dorothy Campbell (1940–2018), Mikey Smith (1954–1983) and Linton Kwesi Johnson. In 2014, Mervyn Morris was appointed Poet Laureate of Jamaica. He was succeeded in 2017 by Lorna Goodison. Notable Jamaican writers Opal Palmer Adisa, writer, poet, performance artist Lindsay Barrett, poet, novelist, journalist Edward Baugh, poet and scholar Louise Bennett-Coverley, poet, folklorist, actress, educator James Berry, poet, anthologist Eliot Bliss, novelist and poet Jonathan Braham, novelist Erna Brodber, novelist, poet Margaret Cezair-Thompson Colin Channer, novelist, short-story writer Kwame Dawes, poet, critic Jean D'Costa, novelist, scholar Herbert de Lisser, journalist and author Ferdinand Dennis, novelist, journalist and broadcaster Nicole Dennis-Benn, novelist Marcia Douglas, novelist, poet, performer Gloria Escoffery, painter, poet and art critic Esther Figueroa, novelist, environmental activist, filmmaker John Figueroa, poet, educator Honor Ford-Smith, actress, playwright, scholar and poet Ifeona Fulani, novelist, educator Lorna Goodison, poet John Hearne, novelist, journalist and teacher A. L. Hendriks, poet and critic Nalo Hopkinson, science fiction writer Marlon James, novelist Evan Jones, poet, novelist Linton Kwesi Johnson, poet Barbara Lalla, novelist, scholar Thomas MacDermot, poet, novelist and editor Roger Mais, novelist Rachel Manley, memoirist, poet Una Marson, poet, playwright Shara McCallum, poet, essayist Diana McCaulay, novelist, short story writer, environmental activist Claude McKay, poet and novelist Anthony McNeill, poet Una Marson, poet, playwright, journalist Kei Miller, poet Pamela Mordecai, poet, novelist, short story writer Mervyn Morris, poet, scholar, essayist Mutabaruka, poet Rex Nettleford, scholar, social critic Cyril Palmer, writer Orlando Patterson, historical and cultural sociologist Geoffrey Philp, poet, novelist, playwright Velma Pollard, poet, novelist, short story writer Patricia Powell, novelist Claudia Rankine, poet, playwright V. S. Reid, novelist Trevor Rhone, playwright and film maker Leopold Anthony Richards, scholar, educator, author Leone Ross, novelist, short story writer, journalist Heather Royes, poet Gillian Royes, novelist Andrew Salkey, novelist, poet Dennis Scott, poet, playwright Olive Senior, poet, novelist, short story writer Tanya Shirley, poet, scholar M. G. Smith, poet Mikey Smith, poet Ralph Thompson, poet Anthony C. Winkler, novelist Sylvia Wynter, novelist, dramatist, critic, essayist Kerry Young, novelist See also List of Jamaican books List of Jamaican writers