Education in the Caribbean: Historical Perspectives is in reality a special issue of the Caribbean Journal of Education which brings together papers on the history of education in the Caribbean. Covering the period from the early eighteenth century to the nineteen seventies, these papers tell the story of the origins and development of education in the region. From them we can identify the individuals and organizations who provided education as well as the social groups for whom it was provided. We may examine the motives and objectives of the providers as well as those of the clients. We may also evaluate the provision and assess its impact on society. In all these aspects of the history of education, the papers reveal striking parallels between the different Caribbean territories. They were all developed as slave colonies by European nations between the fifteenth and seventeenth centuries to supply primary products for the European market.