Una Marson and the BBC Caribbean Service
Broadcaster Sir Trevor McDonald reflects on the BBC's first black producer, Una Marson, and her legacy in the development of the BBC Caribbean Service.
To mark the 90th anniversary of the BBC World Service, we trace the development of the Caribbean Service.
Its beginnings go back to the early 1940s when the BBC’s first black producer, Una Marson was employed.
She created Caribbean Voices, which gave future Nobel laureates such as Derek Walcott their first international platform.
In 1969, one of the UK’s best known newsreaders, Sir Trevor McDonald, left Trinidad to join the BBC Caribbean Service as a producer.
He reflects on its legacy. Produced and presented by Josephine McDermott.
Archive recording of West Indies Calling from 1943, is used courtesy of the Imperial War Museum. Una Marson's poem Black Burden is used courtesy of Peepal Tree Press and the BBC Caribbean Service archive material was provided by the Alma Jordan Library, The University of the West Indies.
(Photo: Sir Trevor McDonald and Una Marson. Credit: BBC)
Last on
![]()
People, Nation, Empire: 100 voices that made the BBC
How the BBC told the stories of a changing world over the past 100 years
Broadcasts
- Mon 19 Dec 202212:50GMTBBC World Service
- Mon 19 Dec 202218:50GMTBBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
- Mon 19 Dec 202223:50GMTBBC World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
- Tue 20 Dec 202200:50GMTBBC World Service South Asia
- Tue 20 Dec 202203:50GMTBBC World Service except South Asia
Featured in...
![]()
Black history—Witness History
Listen to and download our programmes
Podcast
![]()
Witness History
The story of our times, told by the people who were there
