On June 16, Leonard Percival Howell’s 128th birth anniversary, the PNP Culture and Heritage Commission is renewing a long-running campaign to have his role in founding the Rastafari Movement formally recognised by the state.

KINGSTON, Jamaica June 16, 2026 - Calvin G. Brown | Culture & Heritage |— The People’s National Party (PNP) Culture and Heritage Commission is endorsing calls for June 16 to be formally designated a National Day of Recognition for Leonard Percival Howell, the man widely regarded as the founder of the Rastafari Movement, on what marks his 128th birth anniversary.