On the heels of the 2019 Year of Return, Experts Weigh in on the Benefits of
Returning to the Motherland
HOUSTON, TX – Feb 5, 2020 – Houston International Trade Development Council and the Liberian Association of Greater Houston announce Point of Return Liberia: African History and Society Series, a discussion on African American history and its link to Liberia, to take place on Saturday, Feb 29, 2020 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs (3100 Cleburn St.). The free event will connect continents by exploring the return of the first freed African American slaves to Liberia.
The “back to Africa” ideology touted by Civil Rights trailblazer Marcus Garvey is well documented to have had a strong connection to the African country of Liberia. The Liberian resettlement was a provocative Pan African concept aimed mostly at people of African descent in the Western Hemisphere. Point of Return panelists will address this long-standing history between the two countries, as well as the most recent 2019 Year of Return, where African Americans flocked to the continent of Africa to celebrate their heritage and honor the ancestors who were first to arrive on American soil in 1619, 400 years ago.
Slated presenters and experts on the topic of African and African American History include Dr. George Kieh, Dean of Barbara Jordan-Mickey Leland School of Public Affairs at Texas Southern University; Henry Keculah, Jr., President of the Liberian Association of Greater Houston (LAGH); Judge Bill C. Littlejohn, Founder of Sustainable Agriculture Innovation for Liberia (SAIL); and Val Thompson, CEO of Houston International Trade Development Council, Inc. (HITDC). Tami Frazier, KCOH 1230AM host of the Saturday Talk with Tami, will moderate the event.
“Many people are not aware of Liberia’s unique history or that it was the place of return for the first freed American slaves. We created this event to create more awareness about the topic,” said Keculah.
Register for free on Eventbrite and/or visit the following websites for more information, https://www.laghou.org/ or https://houstontrade.org/ .
ABOUT LAGH
The Liberian Association of Greater Houston is a non-profit organization established to empower communities through education, business, and professional development support. LAGH promotes issues of interest within the Houston community, including but not limited to, college & career readiness, employment opportunities, bereavement assistance for an immediate family member, immigration, taxation, health, welfare, and recognition for major accomplishments such as graduation.
ABOUT HITDC
The mission of the Houston International Trade Development Council is to create economic opportunities for Houston-area small & medium enterprises (SMEs) by promoting trade and socially responsible leadership for global partners, creating high-quality jobs, improving quality of life and developing vibrant communities.
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