After being barred from re-entering Jamaica, University of the West Indies lecturer Dr Walter Rodney declared that his exclusion came as no surprise, stating, “I have discovered that in Jamaica to be a black man is dangerous.” His words, delivered from aboard the Air Canada flight that returned him to Montreal, underscored the deep racial and political tensions surrounding his ban.

Published Wednesday, October 16, 1968

Guyanese Lecturer Refused Re-entry to Jamaica

A 26-year-old Guyanese lecturer at The University of the West Indies, who left the island last week for Montreal, Canada, to attend a Congress of Black Writers, was barred from re-entering Jamaica yesterday afternoon by local immigration authorities.
Barred was Dr Walter Rodney, lecturer in African History at The University of the West Indies, Mona. He left Jamaica last Thursday to attend the congress, which was held in Montreal from Friday, October 11 to Monday, October 14.
Yesterday morning, he boarded an Air Canada flight in Montreal to return to Jamaica. When the flight landed at the Palisadoes International Airport at 2:20 p.m., Acting Superintendent S.C. Gibson, head of the local Immigration Department, boarded the aircraft and informed Dr. Rodney that he would not be permitted to re-enter the island.
Dr Rodney was not allowed to disembark and was returned to Montreal on the outbound flight later in the afternoon.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed yesterday that an Exclusion Order had been issued against Dr Rodney but gave no reason for the action.
It was learned, however, that the Government had made the decision some time ago, reportedly because of Dr Rodney’s secret activities in several areas of the island, which convinced security officials that he posed “a grave security risk”.
Vice Chancellor of the University, Sir Phillip Sherlock, was called in by the Government on Monday to discuss the matter. The Exclusion Order was issued following Monday’s Cabinet meeting and gazetted yesterday.
In a brief interview aboard the Air Canada aircraft yesterday afternoon, Dr Rodney told The Gleaner:
“This is no surprise to me. I have discovered that in Jamaica to be a black man is dangerous.”
Born in Georgetown, Guyana, Dr Rodney studied at The University of the West Indies, Mona, entering in 1960 and graduating in 1963. He later pursued further studies in Africa and lectured at a university in Tanzania.
He was appointed lecturer in African History at UWI in January 1968. His wife, a Tanzanian, and their son, reside in Jamaica.

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