Addressing the audience at the National Library on March 6, Neil Parsanlal, Chairman of the Board of NALIS said, “The Revolution forced us to look in the mirror of our society and admit the fractures, admit the deep divides that persisted in practically every aspect of our societal construct.”

Parsanlal referenced the 1970 Black Power Revolution which is being immortalised in an exhibition mounted by the Heritage Library Division, NALIS at the National Library in Port of Spain. The exhibition titled, “50 years on… Black Power the 1970 Revolution that Changed Our Nation Forever” showcases newspaper articles, audio-visual recordings, images and manuscripts in addition to collections relevant to the period from notable contributors, including Aiyegoro Ome and Khafra Kambom.

Parsanlal also said that “most of Trinidad and Tobago have no clue how much was done by our foreparents to ensure we have what we now enjoy, hence the air of entitlement that accompanies many of our misguided activities. The task is ours therefore to educate them, to inform them and co-opt them in the journey to lasting freedom.” The Chairman of the Board of NALIS alluded to the relevance of public and school libraries in keeping the Revolution alive through its many collections of books, exhibitions and programmes.

Other programmes to be hosted by NALIS to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of the Black Power Revolution include a panel discussion on the topic: “The 1970’s Insurrection – A Labour Perspective” (March 28), and oral history interviews, via NALIS’ social media platforms, with key persons who were part of the Revolution.