Much has been said about cults in recent times, owing to the revelations surrounding Kevin Smith. Several references have been made to Alexander Bedward — preacher, healer, and black nationalist of August Town — as a Jamaican cult leader.

Sadly, several inaccuracies and falsehoods have been repeated which continue to diminish Bedward’s legacy.

Whether or not Bedward was a cult leader is a secondary matter, the primary concern is the many falsehoods surrounding his name and the disregard and ignorance of the significance of his work and legacy.

Bedward’s name is often mentioned with ridicule, and not far behind is a tale about an attempt to fly. There are even variations to the story about which tree – ackee or breadfruit – or place from which he or his members attempted to fly and what kind of injury he or they sustained. One recent commentator averred that he was even hospitalised. Such untruths masquerading as knowledge and history is utterly regrettable.

Much has also been said about his arrest in 1921 and his subsequent incarceration at an asylum until his death.

The truth is there is no record of any attempt by Bedward or his followers to fly. Neither did he or his followers sustain any injuries in any such attempt. It did not happen. These flying stories are lies and only emerged after his death to further discredit a leader of humble Jamaicans and tarnish his legacy. If ever he attempted to fly, the colonial authorities and The Gleaner, which had a keen eye on him, would have certainly used it as further ammunition to discredit and ridicule him. They did not.

On April 27, 1921, Bedward attempted to march to Kingston, the aim of which, it is said, was to do ‘battle’ against his enemies. This has been deliberately twisted by scoffers to show Bedward as one seeking to overthrow the Government or some other grand misdeed.

In fact, Bedward referred to his attempted march as simply a manifestation, or what was an attempted display of numerical strength to his perceived enemies, namely the colonial authorities, the medical and religious establishment, the press, among others.

Ever since he began his ministry on the banks of the Hope River in August Town in the 1890s, he was a constant target. He simply had grown tired of the perennial harassment. The absence of weapons among his followers is evidence of no violent intent.

In 1920 Bedward instructed his followers to sell their sins and report to August Town. This instruction – a call to repentance and spiritual purity – was misunderstood and his congregants sold their things/possessions and went in droves to August Town instead. Despite this they were all cared for and accommodated upon arrival.

It is unfortunate that all some people ‘know’ of Bedward is his supposed attempt to fly and that he died at an asylum. They have no regard for his greater significance to national development.

Following the Morant Bay Rebellion and the massacre inflicted on Paul Bogle and thousands of others, no black leader dared to challenge the colonial authorities or seek to lead black people. Bedward was the lone black leader between 1865 and the early 20th century. He dared to call the governor (and the colonial system) a rogue and a scoundrel and prophesied that black people would rise against white domination. He was never afraid to remind his congregants that they should “remember the Morant War”. Such bravery may be indeed interpreted as “madness” as all would-be leaders of blacks had given the obligatory polite deference to the colonial authorities. Not Bedward. His pro-black position was loud, clear, and strong.

The local elites saw Bedward as a threat to their interests because he had a successful healing ministry based at Hope River in the vicinity of August Town; he operated a successful commune of his followers at a place where residents of August Town still call Church Yard; he had thousands of followers islandwide and even in Panama, Cuba, and Costa Rica; and he was unquestionably pro black.

The authorities did not have enough cause to hang him as they did Sam Sharpe and Bogle, but they succeeded in having him incarcerated at an asylum in April 1921 to give the impression he was mad.

He died on November 8, 1930. Despite the fact he was arrested a century ago and died 91 years ago, the false narrative spawned by malice and perpetuated by ignorance abounds.

How much longer shall we kill this prophet?

Instead of seeing Bedward as a lunatic, let us now see him as a brave faith healer who ministered and had confidence in ordinary black Jamaicans; let him rightly be seen as a forerunner to Marcus Garvey and Rastafarianism, which have contributed so much to Jamaica and the world.

His ministry and efforts in August Town must be seen as a successful example of a leader managing the welfare of his followers and displaying to Jamaica and the world that black people can be orderly, productive, united, and self-reliant.

It is time for Jamaicans to know our real history and desist from perpetuating lies and fables about our past leaders. Failure to do this will only result in our limited and warped understanding of ourselves and our future. Let us know the truth and let it free our minds.

Kevin Smith was no Alexander Bedward.

doharris@hotmail.com