George Liele

George Liele was a pivotal figure in the establishment of the Baptist Church in Jamaica, becoming the first black man to start and lead a church on the island in 1791. Born around 1750 in Virginia, Liele was a former enslaved person who earned his freedom by fighting for the British during the American War of Independence. After moving to Jamaica in 1783, he began preaching and laid the foundation for a significant Baptist movement, which saw the establishment of multiple congregations across the island before his death in 1828.