1 The National Gallery of Jamaica, which was established in 1974, is the oldest and largest public art gallery in the English Speaking Caribbean. It has a comprehensive collection of early, modern and contemporary art, totaling 2,000 works and now includes works from the Caribbean and elsewhere, although the documentation of Jamaican art remains its primary objective.

2 The first Economic Co-operation Agreement Between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of Jamaica was signed in 1974.

3 April: The Gun Court, the branch of the Jamaican judicial system that tries criminal cases involving firearms was established on April 2,1974.

4) June: The Jamaican government imposed a production levy and a higher royalty for mined bauxite and alumina on the bauxite companies.

5) September: President Julius Nyerere of Tanzania paid a four-day official visit to Jamaica which began on September 14.

6) September: Free education from primary school to university was provided by the then Government, the People’s National Party in September of 1974.

7 October: The album Natty Dread, released October 25, 1974, was a landmark in Bob Marley’s discography. Natty Dread peaked at No 44 on Billboard’s (North America) Black Albums chart, and at No 92 on the Pop Albums chart.

8 November: The then Government, the People’s National Party formally declared Democratic Socialism to be the new political philosophy of Jamaica.

9 November: The Small Business Association of Jamaica (SBAJ) was established in November of 1974 as a private non-profit organisation, representing the entire small- and micro-business sector.

10 November: The Jamaica Movement for the Advancement of Literacy (JAMAL) was established by the Jamaican Government on November 5, 1974. JAMAL’s main objective was was to administer adult education programs in numeracy, literacy and life skills with the goal of involving 100,000 adults a year. JAMAL became the Jamaica Foundation for Life Long Learning in September 2008.