RAMBAUD, St. Martin — Dr. Rhoda Arrindell will deliver the 34th annual Black History Celebration (BHC) lecture in St. Martin at 978 Sanctorum Restaurant Lounge on Saturday, February 22, 2025.
The program starts at 7:30 pm with song and poetry recitals. The lecture theme is “The Value of Freedom,” said Shujah Reiph, president of Conscious Lyrics Foundation (CLF), organizer of the island’s longest-running lecture series.
“For the lecture theme I’ll focus on the price of freedom. How is the price of freedom connected to St. Martin today, and how has it shaped the development of the Caribbean and Caribbean people as a whole?” said Arrindell.
“Freedom comes with both cost and responsibility. Part of my address will explore the price we are willing to pay and for which aspects, particularly in St. Martin,” Arrindell added.
The BHC lecture is free and open to the public, serving as a highlight of CLF’s month-long program, which includes daily SOS Radio information features, school visits, and occasional book launches. It is also known for attracting a diverse audience from both sides of St. Martin.
Dr. Arrindell is a lecturer at Howard University in Washington, DC, and a leading St. Martin educator. Her book Language, Culture, and Identity in St. Martin is “a unique groundbreaking work,” said Dr. Alma Simounet of the University of Puerto Rico.
Previous BHC lectures were delivered by economist David Abdulah (Trinidad & Tobago), professor of Caribbean and postcolonial literature and culture Dannabang Kuwabong (Ghana/Canada), legal advisor Aishira Cicilia (St. Martin), and internationally acclaimed historian Dr. Hilary Beckles (Barbados).
