portrait of Hugh Shearer on Jamaican banknote, photo by johan10/Bigstock.com

Birth Name: Hugh Lawson Shearer

Date of Birth: May 18, 1923

Place of Birth: Martha Brae, Trelawny Parish, British Jamaica

Date of Death: July 15, 2004

Place of Death: Kingston, Jamaica

Ethnicity: African-Jamaican

Hugh Shearer was a Jamaican trade unionist and politician. He served as Prime Minister of Jamaica, from 11 April, 1967 to 2 March, 1972. He was also Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, from 1980 to 1989, and Leader of the Jamaica Labour Party, from 1967 to November 1974.

Hugh was the son of Esther (Lindo) and James Shearer. He was married to Denise Eldemire, until his death. Her father, Herbert Eldemire, was Jamaica’s first Health Minister. Hugh had three children with his former wife Lunette Shearer.

Hugh’s mother’s surname, Lindo, is usually Sephardi Jewish. However, it is not clear if Hugh had Sephardi ancestry.

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