Isaiah Emmanuel Morter is a giant of Belizean history, widely regarded as Belize's first Black Millionaire in the early 1900's. He once owned Caye Chapel and other large real estate holdings with vast coconut plantations and has a monument at the end of Albert Street. But today when our summer intern Emaun Hyde hit the streets in her continuing series of social studies pop quizzes, she found out that not much is remembered of this prominent historical figure.
Emaun Hyde
"Who is Isaiah Morter?"
Interviewee
"I am suppose to know the answer?"
Emaun Hyde
"Yes."
Interviewee
"I don't know who that is."
Emaun Hyde
"You don't know anything about him?"
Interviewee
"Nope."
Emaun Hyde
"They never taught you anything in school about him?"
Interviewee
"About Isaiah Morter? Nope."
Emaun Hyde
"Who is Isaiah Morter?"
Interviewee
"No idea."
Interviewee
"I don't know."
Emaun Hyde
"You don't know anything about him?"
Interviewee
"No, no."
Interviewee
"I don't know."
Emaun Hyde
"You never learn anything about him in school?"
Interviewee
"No ma'am."
Emaun Hyde
"Who is Isaiah Morter?"
Interviewee
"I don't know about she."
Emaun Hyde
"You don't know anything about him?"
Emaun Hyde
"Who is Isaiah Morter?"
Interviewee
"I have no idea (laughing)"
Emaun Hyde
"No clue? Never learn anything about him?"
Interviewee
"Not really."
Interviewee
"I don't know anything."
Emaun Hyde
"Nothing about him?"
Interviewee
"No."
Interviewee
"All I can say is that he was a black hero and he had a lot of coconut tree that's all I know."
Emaun Hyde
"What can you tell me about Isaiah Morter?"
Interviewee
"Good question. Well I know that he was one of Belize far most rebel back in the days he fight for the cause. He put his head on the line, he put his head on the block for Belize and Belizeans for the betterment of Belize and I know that he was the coconut champion too. A man like Isaiah Morter, we are suppose to be taking example from him and stop people and politician and everybody else from pushing us around and stand up for what we believe in and we believe in Belize."
Interviewee
"Well I know he was the coconut king and he use to be in UNIA. Well after that he did not do anything much for the country. That's all I can tell you."
Interviewee
"A Belizean born of African parents. They settled in the Freetown area and they planted banana trees and he once acquired Caye Chapel and planted a lot of coconut trees. He was a wealthy man and there is a statue at the end of Albert Street, a monument with him."
Morter was born in 1866, died in 1923 and acquired success through farming and real estate.
But he also had a political side; He was also a member of Marcus Garvey's United Negro Improvement Association and bequeathed much of his rest.
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