UNIA looks to educate young minds
Published:Friday | February 4, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Jamaicans will get a chance to celebrate Black History Month this weekend when the Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) hosts a day of activities to commemorate the month.
The UNIA will on Sunday conduct a day of speakers, poetry and entertainment for the family at Liberty Hall on King Street in downtown Kingston, starting at 3:30 p.m.
Clement Deslandes, vice-president of the UNIA - the brainchild of national hero Marcus Garvey, said the event will both educate and entertain.
"This is Black History Month and you know the UNIA is all about improvement, so this is part of our efforts to improve the minds of our people," he said.
Poets appearing
Deslandes noted that poets such as Mutabaruka and Yasus Afari would be appearing at the event.
He also said that the prime minister's wife, Lorna Golding, would be making an appearance to talk about black history.
"We regard Black History Month as the most important month in the year and the youngsters have lost knowledge of themselves and they are going in different paths which are destructive to them and crime-laden," he lamented. "It is the duty of the elders to guide them."
Deslandes said all persons were welcome and refreshments would be free.
Persons who want to get in touch with the UNIA can email the organisation at uniajamaica@gmail.com.