On 6 August 1962, Jamaica became independent from Britain. The British government ceased to have responsibility for governing the island, and a new Jamaican constitution came into force.

British rule had begun in 1655, when English forces took Jamaica from Spain. The island later became a Crown colony, governed through institutions in which political power remained restricted.

The route to independence accelerated after widespread labour unrest in 1938. Strikes and protests exposed low wages, unemployment, poor working conditions and limited political representation. They also helped establish trade unions and mass political parties.

Alexander Bustamante formed the Bustamante Industrial Trade Union and later the Jamaica Labour Party. His cousin Norman Washington Manley led the People’s National Party. Both pressed for greater Jamaican control, although they differed over policy, organisation and the route to independence.

A new constitution introduced universal adult suffrage in 1944. Further changes gave elected Jamaican ministers increasing responsibility for domestic government. In 1959, Jamaica achieved full internal self-government, while Britain retained responsibility for defence and foreign affairs.

Independence was initially expected to come through the West Indies Federation. Jamaica joined nine other British Caribbean territories when the federation was established in 1958.

The arrangement had limited powers, and its members disagreed about taxation, representation and the distribution of costs. Jamaica, its largest member by population, would have carried a substantial share of the financial burden while holding fewer than half the seats in the federal parliament.

Norman Manley’s government held a referendum on federation in September 1961. A majority voted for Jamaica to leave. Manley then announced that the country would seek independence separately.

Jamaican representatives attended an independence conference in London in early 1962. The resulting constitution provided for a parliamentary system with an elected House of Representatives and an appointed Senate.

Before independence took effect, Jamaica held a general election in April 1962. Bustamante’s Jamaica Labour Party defeated Manley’s People’s National Party, making Bustamante the country’s first prime minister.

The British Parliament passed the Jamaica Independence Act, which received Royal Assent on 19 July. It stated that from 6 August the British government would have no responsibility for Jamaica’s government and that future British Acts would not automatically form part of Jamaican law.

Jamaica remained within the Commonwealth. Elizabeth II continued as Queen of Jamaica and was represented on the island by a governor-general. The Crown remained part of the constitutional system without preserving British governmental control.

At midnight at the National Stadium in Kingston, the Union flag was lowered, and the new black, green and gold Jamaican flag was raised. The ceremony marked a transfer of authority achieved through Jamaican elections, constitutional reform, negotiation and a vote to leave the federation.