Beautiful Virgin Islands

Thursday, Oct 23, 2025

Black History Month events continue

Black History Month events continue

The Virgin Gorda Afrikan Studies Club hosted its second annual wreath-laying ceremony on Saturday, and members are planning a hike this weekend in observance of Black History Month.

Paul Fenty, the club’s coordinator, said in a short promotional video posted on Facebook that the heritage hike includes visits to forts on the sister island.

“Why is it that we have so many forts or batteries on a small island like Virgin Gorda?” he asked. “We want to find out and ask the question. When we go and visit them, you’ll get an understanding of why. We want people to explore and have an interest in this history.”

The club currently has 12 members, but Mr. Fenty said that anyone who has a “love of the heritage and sharing and caring for one another” can join.

“This club connects with the Tortola Afrikan Studies Klub,” he added. “And the whole purpose of it is to encourage persons of African descent to celebrate the culture.”

Lately, the club has been meeting virtually, Mr. Fenty explained, and members stay in regular communication.

Remembrance Day


On Saturday, the club hosted an African Remembrance Day observance on the beach of St. Thomas Bay, where people were encouraged to come wearing all white or African dress.

During the final days of Black History Month, Mr. Fenty also is encouraging people to wear African dress this weekend in order to “really show your colour.”

“This was taken from us: We’re just taking it back,” he said. “I want everyone to be proud of these activities. Dress is one aspect we want to focus on.”

Tortola ceremony


Earlier this month, the Afrikan Studies Klub on Tortola hosted its annual wreath-laying ceremony near Crafts Alive Village to commemorate ancestors who lost their lives in the trans-Atlantic slave trade.

During the ceremony, club president Art Christopher emphasised the importance of pouring libations, which he described as an integral part of African culture.

“We focus on mostly persons getting to know their history but most importantly their culture,” he explained. “So the culture of African people; the culture of black people, you can say.”

Club secretary Sheldon Harris stressed the importance of education during Black History Month and urged people to “be aware of your history and be aware of your past.”

VI Poet Laureate Dr. Richard Georges recalled his own experiences of Black History Month while he was in the United States.

“I think it’s when I was studying in the US is when I began to see how powerful the designation of Black History Month was,” he said. “When you have a marginalised people in a society in which they’re a minority, these kinds of symbols and moments [when] the society’s collective consciousness shifts towards them and their history can become moments of great reflection for the individual and celebration of the history and their identity, but also an opportunity to push society to examine the issues that affect that group more closely.”

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
US Administration Under President Donald Trump Reportedly Lifts Ban on Ukraine’s Use of Storm Shadow Missiles Against Russia
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
×