Where is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar from? Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's Trinidadian Heritage
Updated July 13, 2022
Originally Posted November 17, 2021
By: Melissa D. Goolsarran Ramnauth, Esq.
Where is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar from?
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's family is from Trinidad! Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s family was brought to America from Alcindor Trace, Balandra, Trinidad by a French planter, named Alcindor.
His ancestors were enslaved Yoruba Africans that were able to preserve aspects of their culture despite slavery.
Kareem Abdul- Jabbar explained how he felt when he discovered that he was Trini: "My father found out about that when I was a kid, and it gave me all I needed to know that, hey, I was somebody, even if nobody else knew about it."
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s family settled in New York City.
Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr. (originally, and then later Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) was born in NYC on April 16, 1947, and weighed over 12 pounds. He grew up in the Dyckman Projects of Manhattan.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played college basketball at UCLA. He was so skilled that the league banned dunking in 1966 to stunt his dominance. The rule lasted until 1976.
In 1968, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played in the first nationally televised regular-season game that took place at the Astrodome. It was deemed the “Game of the Century.”
In the summer of 1968, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar converted to Sunni Islam and adopted this name. He started publicly using the name in 1971.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar also skipped the Olympics in 1968 in protest of the discrimination of African Americans in the United States.
The Harlem Globetrotters offered Abdul-Jabbar $1 million but he declined. He was the first pick in the 1969 draft and went on to play for the Milwaukee Bucks until 1975. He then played for the Lakers until 1989.
He broke his right hand twice. First, he broke it out of anger by punching a backboard support after a player scratched his eye. And second, when he punched Kent Benson in the eye.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sued Miami Dolphins player, Karim Abdul-Jabbar (now Abdul-Karim al-Jabbar, born Sharmon Shah) for trademark infringement based on name similarities. The two later settled and the latter only used the name “Abdul” professionally. Click here to read more about Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's trademark lawsuit.
The former basketball player played 20 seasons in the NBA. He was best known for his “sky hook” shot where he bent his whole body instead of just his arm. He is the all-time leading scorer, the record holder for his 6 MVP awards, 6-time champion, and Trini.
Section Reference:
https://www.playboy.com/read/the-playboy-interview-with-kareem-abdul-jabbar
The History of Trinidad & Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago is a nation of two islands located in the Caribbean Sea, just north of Guyana. The Amerindians, Spanish, Africans, French, British, and Indians all had a significant impact on the islands.
In the beginning, the the islands were mainly inhabited by the Arawak and Carib Amerindians. The former was a more peaceful tribe and the latter was known for their willingness to war. There is dispute as to the Amerindians’ original name for the island but Christopher Columbus renamed the island "La Isla de la Trinidad" in 1498. Tobago was also supposedly called “Tobaco” and its named signified the importance of tobacco to the natives. European language corruption caused the name change on both islands.
The islands were taken by Spain following Columbus' discovery. Spain spent many years at war trying to conquer the natives and convert them to Catholicism. In 1699, Spain’s continued forceful conversion caused a violent uprising that resulted in the deaths of hundreds of Amerindians, members of the Church, and members of the local government. After this, the tension between the two groups was generally settled for the next hundred years.
Spain then enslaved Africans to work on the plantations. At one point, the enslaved Africans outnumbered the plantation owners and free workers. The Africans did their best to preserve their African traditions despite severe oppression, and despite being thousands of miles away from home. This perseverance would eventually spawn the gift of Trinidad Carnival-- a celebration that many around the world look forward to annually.
In 1777, Spain offered free land to those willing to pledge allegiance to the King in order to populate the islands. Many French planters during the French Revolution took advantage of the land proposal. The mass French exodus to Trinidad had a greater cultural impact on Trinidad compared to the minimal impact of the Spanish.
In 1797, the British invaded Trinidad and Spain surrendered without a fight. Britain began importing Indian indentured servants on May 1, 1845, with the first ship being the Fatel-Razak. The indentureship period lasted from 1845 to 1917 and involved approximately 147,000 Indians working on sugarcane and cocoa plantations. Many of these Indians would remain in Trinidad and form the majority of the country’s population.
Petroleum would later become Trinidad’s main export in the 1950s. The early oil discoveries and production were spearheaded and controlled by American companies and American businessmen. Thus, Trinidad and Tobago’s proximity to Guyana should raise caution concerning outside influence in Trinidad’s politics, and a power struggle to control potential oil profits from future discoveries.
In 1962, Trinidad & Tobago gained independence from Britain. Eric Williams, who was of African descent, served as the first prime minister until his death in 1981. He is often regarded as the “Father of the Nation.”
This briefing is derived mainly from Eric Williams’ insightful “History of the People of Trinidad and Tobago” and Briget Brereton’s “An Introduction to the History of Trinidad and Tobago.”
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Articles on Caribbean empowerment regarding history education and legal protections.
Melissa D. Goolsarran Ramnauth, Esq. is a trademark and business attorney. She primarily helps new and small businesses with trademarks and contracts. She writes articles on the importance of trademarks, trademark law updates, and also West Indian history (with an emphasis on Indian indentured servant ships).
Melissa D. Goolsarran Ramnauth, Esq. is of Trinidadian and Guyanese descent. She graduated magna cum laude from the University of Miami with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science, a minor degree in History, a minor degree in Criminology, and a Juris Doctor degree.
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