| The Belize National Anthem, "Land of the Free", as Belizeans, we all know it - or should know it - by heart. And even though we have it memorized by heart, the composer, Samuel Alfred Haynes Sr., is not as well-known as the anthem itself.
But history remembers Haynes as a patriot, a nationalist, a solider, a fighter for civil rights, and a music composer. Born in Belize in 1899, he moved to the US, and while there, he became a major player in the Marcus Garvey's UNIA Movement.
He left a great and diverse legacy, and this week, his son, Ronald Haynes, made his first visit to Belize. This evening, he was hosted by the management of the center in the Lake I area which bears his fathers name: the Samuel Haynes Institute of Excellence, on Mahogany Street in Belize City.
Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington's family plays a major role in the Institute's affairs, and after a short ceremony this evening, we got a chance to speak with him and Samuel's son, to learn a little more about the man behind the legacy. Here's what they told us:
Samuel Hayne's original composition was named "Land of the Gods". So, we wondered what his son thought about the change to "Land of the Free". Here's what he had to say to that one:
Haynes is also traveling with the original sheet music for the song that became the national anthem.
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