Before the Flag: How Dominica Pioneered Democracy in the Caribbean

Synopsis

Before the Flag: How Dominica Pioneered Democracy in the Caribbean by Irvin Pascal resurrects a vital, yet overlooked, cornerstone of Caribbean self-governance: Dominica’s 1836 elected assembly. This groundbreaking institution, the first in the British Caribbean to include Black legislators, emerged not from rebellion, but from the determined agency of free Black landowners and citizens who leveraged their civic organization, literacy, and land ownership to claim political voice decades before full emancipation. Pascal meticulously traces this legacy, challenging the conventional narrative that frames Caribbean democracy solely through colonial milestones or independence movements. Instead, he reveals how Dominica’s free people of color cultivated self-rule from the soil up, establishing a tradition of governance deeply intertwined with land stewardship and community resilience. The eBook argues that this early democratic tradition is not merely a historical curiosity but an urgent inspiration for contemporary Caribbean nations grappling with land fragmentation, climate vulnerability, and the need for authentic self-determination. By restoring this buried legacy, Pascal offers a powerful narrative of ancestral sovereignty, empowering current generations of Dominicans and Caribbean citizens to recognize their pioneering heritage. This work serves as both a corrective to historical erasure and a compass for future leadership, demonstrating that true sovereignty begins with reclaiming and honoring the foundational acts of self-governance that have long been cultivated within the Caribbean landscape.