By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
November 10, 2016
This message was read to the children of the Robert Clark School, Dagenham, Essex (part of greater London) England, on Wednesday, November 9, 2016, in celebration of Black History Month. I thank Lara Akinn for offering me the opportunity to contribute this message to their celebration.
Continue reading Why Black History Month Is Important to Me
By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
November 06, 2016
I am glad Brian MacFarlane has agreed to withhold a section of his 2017 presentation, “Cazabon-The Art of Living.” MacFarlane has argued that the Cazabon era, which he identified as the 1880s and 1890s, “was the most beautiful time—art was fabulous, fashion was glorious, and the architecture was amazing and full of such intricate details.” Two questions arise: “A beautiful time for whom?” and, “What was happening to Indo-Trinidadians during the Cazabon period?”
Continue reading Living As Dogs, Part 1
By Cecil Paul & Gerry Kangalee
October 28, 2016 – workersunion.org.tt
We refer to a letter to the editor in the Express of October 27, 2016 in which one R. De Verteuil is “sick and tired” of Laventillians complaining “about how neglected and disadvantaged they are, and how much more money the government should throw in their direction”.
Continue reading French Creole Revision of History
By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
October 18, 2016
I wish to take up where I left off last Sunday to examine the implication of the “Report of the Working Group of Experts on People of African Dissent on Its Mission to the United States” for Trinidad and Tobago since there is an assumption that these reports have no relevance to our society. Sometimes we even refuse to believe that the slave experience lies at the base of our society masking our origin under the umbrella of an illusionary multiculturalism.
Continue reading Black Advocacy in T&T
By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
October 09, 2016
In academic and political lectures, when I refer to the negative psychological and economic impact slavery has had on black people, my questioners usually retort: “You have to bring up slavery again?”
The same people who object to my bringing up slavery’s impact upon black people have no objections when Jews urge their people: “Never forget!”
Continue reading Always Remember
By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
September 05, 2016
In his article “Black Caucus, Black Humor,” Raymond Ramcharitar pours scorn on the BCM’s (Black Caucus Movement) demand for “land in Caroni for ‘Africans’ and saying it’s a love thing” (Guardian, August 17). He sought to reduce its position to “black humor” and to deride its claim for social justice it wishes to bring to the public’s attention.
Continue reading A Cry for Social Justice
THE EDITOR: To any young person under 25 who may somehow be reading this, please look carefully at those of us over 40 and kinda pattern your life doing the exact opposite of whatever it is you see.
Because, listening to some callers to Power 102 and i95.5fm the morning after the passing of Makandal Daaga, one has to wonder why we bothered changing flags in 1962.
Continue reading On the Chief Servant Makandal Daaga….and latent ignorance
National Joint Action Committee’s News Release
The Political Leader and members of the National Joint Action Committee (NJAC) along with Mrs. Liseli Daaga and family, sadly announce the passing of Chief Servant Makandal Daaga (formerly Geddes Granger), founder of NJAC and former Cultural Ambassador to CARICOM. Chief Servant Makandal Daaga passed away at the Port of Spain General Hospital at 1.35pm today (Monday 8th August 2016). Bro. Daaga would have turned 81 years on Saturday.
Continue reading Passing of Chief Servant Makandal Daaga
By Dr. Selwyn R. Cudjoe
June 13, 2016
Last Sunday, in this newspaper, Sat Maharaj mentioned casually (or perhaps not so casually) that he couldn’t possibly be a racist since I was his best friend and Desmond Hoyte was a close friend. Most of my friends were aghast that Sat should consider me to be among his best friends and, even if we are, they asked, why should he use our friendship to camouflage his racism?
Continue reading Is Sat Really a Racist?
By Kim Boodram
Jun 1, 2016 – trinidadexpress.com
NEARLY two hundred years after they became part of the building of Trinidad and Tobago, people of East Indian descent are still considered second class citizens, the president of the local chapter of the Global Organisation of Indian People (GOPIO), Karran Nancoo, has said.
Continue reading GOPIO: T&T Indians second class citizens