That Black History Month, the brainchild of Carter G. Woodson, began as Negro History Week in 1926 and was intended to highlight a serious imbalance in the education system of the United States of America? http://www.infoplease.com/spot/bhmintro1.html

That in St. Maarten/St. Martin “in 1786 there were 24 sugar mills and 2572 blacks while the number of whites had decreased to 431? Ten years earlier, in 1776, there were only 772 blacks on the French side. On the Dutch side at the same period – 1775 – there were 3500 blacks and 650 whites. Black people were more numerous there because of the salt picking which had always been the major activity of the Dutch side. Consequently, from the 1770s on, Saint Martin became a predominantly black island. Most sugar plantations were located on the French side. In 1786, 2250 acres were planted with sugar cane representing 65.8% of the cultivated land. 650 acres were planted with food crops, and 450 acres with cotton. There were 35 sugar mills. In 1818 there were still 32 sugar mills and 2500 acres were planted with sugar cane representing 80.9% of the cultivated land, 415 acres were planted with food crops, and 80 acres with cotton.” (Daniella JEFFRY) - http://www.st-martin.org/us/discovery/history.php

That the Slave Registration Order of 1812 shows that the majority of enslaved Africans in Trinidad were Igbos from Southern Nigera, Mandingoes from SendGambia, Yorubas and Alladas from Benin and Dahomey, Kongos from the Congo basin and Asantes from the Gold Coast (Ghana). (Hollis Liverpool, “Rituals of Power and Rebellion: The Carnival Tradition in Trinidad and Tobago – 1763-1962, 2001)

That the phrase “Africa for the Africans” was coined by Edward Wilmoth Blyden of St. Thomas US Virgin Islands and was the title of one of his many articles on the geo-politics of the Black race which became known as Pan-Africanism? (Runoko Rashidi, Global African Presence, 1998).

That when Marcus Garvey was on the run from the FBI, Malcolm X’s mother hid him in their house and wrote letters and dispatches for him? Malcolm X’s mother was from Grenada and both she and his US born father were Garveyites? (Jan Carew “Ghosts In Our Blood”, Lawrence Hill Books, 1994)

That the Rastafari Creed was authored by an Anguillian man named Robert Athlyi Rogers and published in The Holy Piby as The Shepherd’s Prayer by Athlyi? (The Holy Piby, 1924, reprinted in 2000).

That Elma Constance Francois who was born in St Vincent in 1897 was at the forefront of the organized labour activism in Trinidad in the 1930s and was the first woman in Trinidad to be tried for sedition? She defended herself in court and was acquitted.

That at age 24 Walter Rodney got his Ph.D. with honours in African History from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London and his doctoral research was on slavery in the Upper Guinea Coast? In the process he learned Portuguese and Spanish, and had learnt French earlier at Queens College in Georgetown, Guyana where he was born on March 23, 1942.

That on 26th June 1942, the Anglo Canadian, a 5,268-ton British motor freighter travelling from “Vizagapatam and Ascencion” to Baltimore, USA, with a crew of 50 men was torpedoed in the Atlantic (25.12N/55.31W) by a German submarine? One man died. On 9th July 1942, its 49 survivors came ashore at Island Harbour where they were warmly received and given food, clothing and shelter. The household of Joseph and Caddy Hodge spared no effort in making them comfortable. In fact, the Log Book of the old East End School recorded that Thelma Hodge (Teacher Thelma Hunte), one of their daughters, “was absent from school throughout the day [9th July]” to help look after the sailors. According to Teacher Thelma, the people of the Island Harbour assisted them greatly. (Colville Petty, “A Good Role Model” in The Anguillian 15.04.2005)

That on 14 December 1960, the Declaration on the Granting of Independence to Colonial Countries and Peoples was adopted by the United Nations 89–0, with nine abstentions from Australia, Belgium, the Dominican Republic, France, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. http://www.nationsencyclopedia.com/United-Nations/Independence-of-Colonial-Peoples-THE-ROLE-OF-THE-UN.html

That Anguillians knew exactly what they wanted in 1967? The memorandum taken to St. Kitts by a delegation of Anguillians on 31 May 1967 read in part, Anguillians do not want to be a part of the State of St Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla. The time when they might have accepted this is past. What they now want is separation from St Kitts. They want a process set in motion now which will give them separation and self-determination within twelve months.
By the end of this time they want to be a State in Association with Britain.
http://www.gov.ai/documents/constitutional%20reform/4.%20Introduction%20final.pdf

That the Anguilla Council had approved the Holcomb Republican Constitution and that Anguilla’s Unilateral Declaration of Independence was decided by referendum on February 6, 1969 with a vote of 1,739 votes for and 4 votes against? On February 21 1969, James Ronald Webster was declared President of the Republic of Anguilla. His Vice-President was Campbell Fleming, Secretary of State for Domestic Affairs was John Webster and Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs was Jeremiah Gumbs. All six candidates nominated were unopposed.
http://www.gov.ai/documents/constitutional%20reform/4.%20Introduction%20final.pdf

That in 2006 Ms Shara Proctor, was the first Anguillian to win GOLD at the Carifta Games and in 2007 was named as the Southeastern Conference Indoor Freshman Field Athlete of the Year? This outstanding Anguillian athlete is a student of the University of Florida (Gators) and with this honour became the first Gator in women’s history to earn the indoor freshman field athlete of the year award. (Anguilla Sports Life News Talk).

Now you know.

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