The St. Vincent and the Grenadines Diaspora Committee of New York, says it welcomes this celebration and wishes to highlight the contributions of Vincentians to the development of Black people in the USA and to the USA in general.
The Diaspora Committee is acutely aware that while this celebration is directed at Black communities in the USA, Black History Month is celebrated by many people around the world.
Furthermore, Black History Month not only benefits Black people, but can benefit other races, ethnic groups and nationalities as well. Moreover, SVG has been in the consciousness of Americans as far back as the early 19th Century.
The Committee said it is important to highlight the great contributions that Black people had been making before, during, and after chattel slavery.
It said Black people have been making outstanding contributions to the development of the USA, but much of this history has been silenced.
Vincentians have made their contributions to Black History in the USA. For example, Hugh Mulzac, from the Grenadines Island of Union Island, is one of the first Vincentians to make a tremendous contribution to positive race relations in the USA.
He was the first Black man to ever achieve a Master’s seaman license in the USA. He was also the first Black seaman in Baltimore to pass the exams for a master’s license.
