National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago

23/06/2026

Come meet us today and check out our booth here at the Pulse of the Nation Open House 2026, in commemoration of Public Service Day 2026!

We’ll be here at the NALIS Building, POS until 2:30pm to showcase our historical records, answer any research questions that you may have, and help guide you through Ancestry.com’s genealogical website!

Admission is FREE and there are over 30 government agencies present, with interactive booths and live exhibitions, family-friendly activities, cultural performances, information on grants and scholarships, direct access to Government services and representatives, food and drinks available for purchase, and exciting giveaways and promotional items!

22/06/2026

Celebrating 150 years of the national landmark, President’s House, and 50 years of the Presidency! 🇹🇹

🏛️ A landmark. A legacy. A national story.

This August, discover the grandeur, history and heritage of The President's House as we celebrate 150 years of this national landmark and 50 years of the Presidency.

Join us from 17th – 21st August 2026 for a Special Anniversary Heritage Tour and Exhibition and discover the stories, people and moments that have shaped one of Trinidad and Tobago's most iconic institutions.

📅 17–21 August 2026

🎟️ Registration opens soon. Stay tuned to our social media pages for updates.

22/06/2026

History is calling! 📞📜 Come meet some of the National Archives team TOMORROW Tuesday June 23rd 2026, at the Pulse of the Nation Open House 2026, one of the flagship events by the Ministry of Public Administration and Artificial Intelligence, in commemoration of United Nations Public Service Day 2026!

Stop by our booth at the NALIS Building to explore national records, learn how we preserve priceless historical documents, and use new technologies to keep our heritage alive.

🗓️ Tomorrow, Tuesday 23rd June 2026
🕗 8:00 am - 2:30 pm
📍 NALIS Building, Port of Spain
🎟️ ADMISSION: Completely FREE!

What you can expect:
* Interactive booths and live exhibitions
* On-site health screenings and wellness services
* Live cultural performances throughout the day
* Appearances by beloved cultural characters
* Live demonstrations and engaging presentations
* Information on grants, scholarships, training programmes and development opportunities
* Exciting giveaways and promotional items
* Direct access to Government services and representatives
* A variety of food and beverages available for purchase
* Family-friendly activities and interactive experiences

Bring the family, enjoy live entertainment, interactive displays from over 30 government agencies, a dedicated Tobago Corner celebrating Tobago’s culture, tourism and services, and plenty of giveaways!

22/06/2026

Did you know that the Empire Windrush’s first port of call in the Caribbean was actually here in Trinidad and Tobago! This began what we know today as the mass migration of post-war Caribbean settlers to the United Kingdom, known as the Windrush Generation.

22/06/2026

Today marks , which commemorates the Caribbean migrant contribution to British society after World War II! Check out this video by the BBC Archive highlighting calypsonians Lord Kitchener, and The Mighty Sparrow, performing on Carnaby Street, London. 🇹🇹

19/06/2026

Happy Labour Day from the National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago! in 1937, the Butler Oilfield Riots took place in Fyzabad.

On the evening of June 19th 1937, labour activist Tubal Uriah “Buzz” Butler met with oilfield workers who were on strike over the poor living and working conditions they faced in the oilfields. When police officials attempted to arrest Butler, a battle took place between the workers and the police.

During these riots, fourteen people were killed, fifty-nine wounded and hundreds arrested. In 1972, June 19th became recognized as an annual public holiday—Labour Day—to memorialise these tragic events and those whose lives were lost. Labour Day also commemorates the contributions made by labour activists and organisations to improve labour legislation over the years.

During this early labour movement, workers from various industries came together and mobilised for better living and working conditions. They also raised concerns about who owned and ran these million-dollar industries and where their interests lay.

Under the leadership of prominent figures like Tubal Uriah “Buzz” Butler, Captain A. A. Cipriani, George Weekes, Elma Francois, Adrian Cola Rienzi, Daisy Crick, Albert Maria Gomes and many more, thousands of workers met, striked and rioted, starting a trade union movement that would last for decades.

This photo shows an excerpt from our exhibition, “Tubal Uriah "Buzz" Butler. The Man and His Times”. To view or download the file, please follow this link:https://natt.gov.tt/sites/default/files/pdfs/ButlerRevisedBoards11June.pdf

18/06/2026

Celebrated as a pioneer of Trinidad & Tobago’s nationalist and labour movements, Captain Arthur Andrew Cipriani was known as, “the champion of the barefooted man” due to his efforts as a labour leader and politician who organised our country’s first major industrial strike in 1919.

Best known for his role as the Mayor of Port of Spain from 1926 to 1941, Cipriani was also the founding leader of the Trinidad Labour Party (formerly the Trinidad Workingmen’s Association).

Cipriani was born on January 31st 1875 to a family of Corsican descent in Trinidad. He attended St. Mary’s College (CIC) in Port of Spain, where he was actively involved in sports. After leaving school he worked temporarily as a jockey, combining his love for athletics and horses.

During the outbreak of World War I in 1914, Cipriani was tasked with recruiting soldiers for the British West Indies Regiment (BWIR)—a separate contingent of non-white soldiers from the British colonies. He was awarded the title of Captain and left for the battlefront in 1917.

While at war, he witnessed the discrimination and neglect suffered by soldiers from the British colonies. Upon his return to Trinidad, he led a campaign against the British authorities for their mistreatment of non-white soldiers but the case was dismissed.

In November 1919, after a labour dispute took place at the Port of Spain Wharf, Cipriani called on the workers to withhold their efforts, resulting in the first large industrial strike of the 20th century. At the time, Cipriani was a member of the Trinidad Workingmen’s Association (TWA), which fought for the improvement of worker’s rights. Cipriani worked with the TWA for many years, furthering the trade union’s commitment to labour activism. He eventually became the organization’s President in 1923.

Over the years, Cipriani’s efforts to seek justice for the ex-soldiers and other disenfranchised groups earned him the nickname, “Champion of the Barefooted Man.”

Copyright ©️ The National Archives of Trinidad & Tobago. All rights reserved.

This photo of Arthur Andrew Cipriani is from the National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago Exhibition, “The Road To Nationhood” (2014). To view or download the file, please follow this link: https://natt.gov.tt/.../pdfs/the-road-to-nationhood.pdf.

References: James, C. L. R., and Bridget Brereton. “The Life of Captain Cipriani: An Account of British Government in the West Indies, with the Pamphlet The Case for West-Indian Self Government.” Duke University Press, www.dukeupress.edu/the-life-of-captain-cipriani.

Samaroo, Brinsley, and Cherita Girvan. “THE TRINIDAD WORKINGMEN'S ASSOCIATION AND THE ORIGINS OF POPULAR PROTEST IN A CROWN COLONY.” Social and Economic Studies, vol. 21, no. 2, 1972, pp. 205–222. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/27856529.

17/06/2026

Today we remember the life and legacy of a revolutionary labour leader and community activist, Elma Francois, who was the first woman in Trinidad and Tobago to be charged and tried for sedition alongside her male counterparts Tubal Uriah “Buzz” Butler and others during the 1930s Labour movement. She was found to be “not guilty” after representing herself in court.

Francois dedicated her life’s work to fighting for the improved living and working conditions of working-class people in her birthplace of St. Vincent and later, in Trinidad. Throughout her life, she elevated the concerns of working-class women, encouraging them to deepen their political involvement.

Francois was a founding member of the National Unemployed Movement (NUM)—which later became the Negro Welfare Cultural and Social Association (NWCSA)—the Seamen and Waterfront Workers’ Trade Union (SWWTU) and the Federated Workers’ Trade Union (FWTU)—now the National Union of Government and Federated Workers (NUGFW).

Following her participation in the Labour Riots of 1937, she was arrested and accused of sedition. In February 1938, she became the first woman to be charged with sedition in Trinidad and Tobago. The charges were later dropped. She is remembered as a captivating public speaker, who always encouraged those around her to expand their political consciousness through reading and political organisation.

Copyright ©️ The National Archives of Trinidad & Tobago. All rights reserved.

Photo of Elma Francois taken from page 25 of “Elma Francois: The NWCSA and the Worker's Stuggle for Change in the Caribbean” by Rhoda Reddock. Published by New Beacon Books (1988). This book is part of the National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago’s Reference Collection.

References: Reddock, Rhoda. “Elma Francois: The NWCSA and the Workers Struggle for Change in the Caribbean.” New Beacon Books, 1988; Reddock, Rhoda. “The Women In Revolt.” The Trinidad Labour Riots of 1937: Perspectives 50 Years Later., by Roy Thomas, UWI Extra-Mural Studies Unit, 1987.

16/06/2026

Adrian Cola Rienzi was a trade unionist, civil rights activist, politician, lawyer, and strong advocate of the rights of the working class. He was known for his early support of Afro-Indo unity, and for his defence of Indo-Trinidadian religious rights to cremation, the recognition of Muslim and Hindu marriages, and the establishment of non-Christian schools.

Upon his return to Trinidad in 1929 from studying Law in the UK, Rienzi worked with Captain Cipriani’s Trinidad Labour Party, eventually forming the Trinidad Citizens League (TCL) in December 1936. After the 1937 Oilfield Workers Strike and Tubal Uriah “Buzz” Butler’s arrest, Rienzi showed support by mediating the case, becoming his attorney and legal strategist for his campaign. In that same year, he was elected to the San Fernando Borough Council, and eventually, Mayor of San Fernando.

Rienzi made many contributions as Mayor, and also played an important role as a trade-unionist and legal advisor during the 1930s Labour Movement. In addition to his role as the first President of the Oilfield Workers’ Trade Union (OWTU), Rienzi established what is known today as All Trinidad Sugar and General Workers’ Trade Union.

He was born Krishna Deonarine in South Trinidad. At a young age, he was elected President of the San Fernando branch of the Trinidad Workingmen’s Association, which later became known as the Trinidad Labour Party (TLP) under the leadership of Captain A. A. Cipriani.

As a law clerk at Hobsons Law Firm, he was introduced to the work of Cola di Rienzo, a 14th century Italian politician and activist. Inspired by Rienzo and Adrian Clarke—an English magistrate who became Rienzi’s mentor—he changed his name to Adrian Cola Rienzi as a young man in 1927 in order to avoid discrimination in the UK while studying law.

He passed away on July 21st 1972, and was posthumously awarded the Order of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in 2012.

Copyright ©️ The National Archives of Trinidad & Tobago. All rights reserved.

This photo of Adrian Cola Rienzi is courtesy of the Vanguard Newspaper, January 6th 1940. This newspaper is part of the National Archives of Trinidad and Tobago Newspaper Collection.

References: Jacobs, W. Richard. “The Politics of Protest in Trinidad: The Strikes and Disturbances of 1937.” Caribbean Studies, vol. 17, no. 1/2, 1977, pp. 5–54. JSTOR, www.jstor.org/stable/25612797.

Ryan, Selwyn D. “Race and Nationalism in Trinidad and Tobago: A Study of Decolonization In A Multiracial Society.” University of Toronto Press, 1972.