Dr Smith addresses members on the topic “Atlantic Connections; From Igboland to the Virgin Islands”

Dr Katherine Smith, who is a renowned local historian , spoke at our meeting on 19^th February on the above topic. She began her illustrated presentation with an account of the African slave trade starting in the 1750s, with details of the number of slaves brought to the Virgin Islands, their ethnic groups and the areas of West Africa rom which they originated. The presentation then moved on to the emergence of a cohesive Virgin Islands culture; she explained the influence the Methodist church, which had become highly organised throughout the Caribbean, had on the slaves and the important role of land ownership after the large plantations fell into decay following the 1819 hurricane. Dr. Smith pointed out that women had become pre-eminent in Virgin Islands society partly as a result of the slavery laws under which a child’s status was determined by that of his/her mother, the father being of no significance in that respect. She went on to state that many of the slaves on gaining their freedom took on the surname of the estate owner, and hence the emergence of what have now become significant family names; Smith,  Harrigan, O’Neal etc. Dr. Smith then answered a long list of questions, proof positive that her presentation had captivated the members present.