As part of "Black History Month" Lesly Condé Former Consul General of Haiti in Chicago (August 2004 - May 2018), delivered a message of thoughts that we invite you to read and share.

Message from Lesly Condé :

"Dear fellow citizens and friends everywhere,

I have the distinct privilege of greeting you very warmly as we all welcome this month of February 2021 with all its challenges and all its apprehensions. This month, which is the shortest of the year, is also Black History Month. It is a period during which we will talk about the relatively recent contribution of certain black people in various fields. As our education systems fail to clearly highlight these contributions, Black History Month is a condescending, often pleasantly surprising, parenthesis.

I must say, first of all, that February of each year is far from sufficient to cover all aspects of the experience of the black race on this planet. I am afraid those who have thought of dedicating this month to black history have made the mistake of believing that black history began with slavery. If Africa is the cradle of humanity, if the arts, science and organized societies originated on the African continent, black history simply cannot be a month's business.

The history of blacks is indeed a history that colonization and slavery have skilfully falsified for centuries. Today, scientific evidence has established beyond any doubt that Egypt in the time of the pyramids was black. This kind of information has its place in our classrooms. The history of blacks is alas, a story of usurped heritage and brave visionaries cowardly murdered. To find themselves, the black people need to discover their true history and to believe in it.

We cannot talk about black history without mentioning Haiti, the first black state in the New World. Our identity is not celebrated around the world, but we know it is precious and we care about it.

In closing, I wish you all a safe and enjoyable February. Take care of each other. Whatever you do, think about Haiti."

Please note that the Embassy of Haiti in Canada honors 21 historical figures during Black History Month in Canada. Visit the virtual exhibition at : https://ambassade-haiti.ca

HL/ HaitiLibre