George Liele: Liberated slave and African American Baptist Missionary to Jamaica

Abstract

Liele introduced Baptist witness to Jamaica and served as pastor and educator of churches in Kingston and Spanish town cities there. Further, Liele was responsible for the conversion and baptism of another African American, Moses Baker, who migrated to Jamaica in 1783 and was a leader in establishing Baptist churches in western parishes in Jamaica. Beyond his work in Jamaica, Liele’s ministry reached as far afield as Nova Scotia, Canada, and Sierra Leone, Africa, through the influence of his protege, David George, who was first known as David, until he changed his name to “David George” in honor of his friend and mentor George Liele.