Which Jamaican order was Bob Marley awarded posthumously in 1981?

Bob Marley was awarded Jamaica’s Order of Merit posthumously in 1981.

The Order of Merit is one of Jamaica’s highest national honors. Marley received it in recognition of his outstanding contribution to Jamaican culture and music, following his death in May 1981.

The honor reflected how fully Marley’s career had become part of Jamaica’s national identity. His work had taken reggae from a Jamaican popular style to an international language of protest, spirituality, love, and cultural pride.

The Order of Merit is not the same as the Order of Jamaica or the Order of Distinction. Jamaica’s honors system includes several ranks and categories, so summaries of Marley’s awards can easily blend them together. Marley is also remembered through Jamaica’s official cultural institutions, public monuments, and national commemorations.