"Negro Aroused" Sculpture, Kingston

Negro Aroused, created in 1935 by Edna Manley, stands as one of the most powerful and enduring symbols of Jamaican identity and resistance. First exhibited in 1937, the sculpture instantly captivated the public imagination. Carved in mahogany, it depicts a Black man rising from the earth, his hands clasped together and his gaze turned skyward in an expression of determination and awakening. His figure, cut off at the hips, seems to emerge directly from the ground-rooted yet striving upward-embodying both struggle and hope. The warmth of the wood enhances this symbolism, suggesting a deep connection between man, land, and spirit.

In 1977, Negro Aroused took on new life when Edna Manley was commissioned to recreate it as a monument honoring Jamaican workers and the Workers Movement of 1938. This new bronze version was scaled up to three or four times the size of the original, with assistance from a team of young sculptors. Unfortunately, the large version was lost in a warehouse fire before it could be bronzed in New York.

Undeterred, Manley sculpted a third version in 1982, closer in scale to the original but incorporating subtle evolutions from the lost sculpture. After she died in 1987, this version was selected for enlargement using bronze foundry scaling techniques, and the final public monument was installed in 1991-again funded by public contributions.

The bronze statue that now faces the sea in Kingston is a replica of this third version, while the original remains preserved in the National Gallery of Jamaica. It continues to speak to themes of emergence, freedom, and dignity, encapsulating Edna Manley’s vision and Jamaica’s enduring spirit of resilience.