Alexander Bustamante

Birth Name: William Alexander Clarke

Date of Birth: 24 February, 1884

Place of Birth: Hanover, Colony of Jamaica

Date of Death: 6 August, 1977

Place of Death: Saint Andrew, Jamaica

Ethnicity: Irish, African-Jamaican, Taíno

Alexander Bustamante was a Jamaican politician and labour leader. He was the 1st Chief Minister of Jamaica, from 5 May 1953, to 2 February, 1955, and the 1st Prime Minister of Jamaica, from 6 August, 1962 to 23 February, 1967.

Alexander was the son of Mary (Wilson) and Robert Constantine Clarke. His father had Irish, and likely black/mixed-race, ancestry. His mother was said to have been a mixed race Jamaican. An obituary for Alexander in the New York Times wrote that he was “the son of a poor Irish planter and a Jamaican mother of mostly Arawak Indian descent,” and that “he was proud of what African blood had been added to the family on his mother’s side.”

Alexander was married to workers’ and women’s rights activist Gladys Bustamante, until his death.

Alexander took on the surname Bustamante, which is Spanish, after a Spanish sea captain who adopted him. He spent some time growing up in Spain, before moving back to Jamaica.

Alexander’s paternal grandfather was named Robert Clarke (the son of The Rev. Carr, and of a woman surnamed Clarke).

Alexander’s paternal grandmother was named Ann Taylor. Ann was said to have been black/mixed race.

Alexander’s maternal grandfather was named Daniel Wilson.

Alexander was a half-first cousin, once removed, twice over, of Michael Manley, who was also Prime Minister of Jamaica, from 2 March, 1972 to 1 November, 1980, and again, from 10 February, 1989 to 30 January, 1992. Alexander’s paternal grandmother, Ann Taylor, was also Michael’s great-grandmother, twice over.

Source: Genealogy of Alexander Bustamante – https://www.geni.com