1887 – Birth of Marcus Garvey’s Political Ally, Henri Sylvestre Williams

Henri Sylvestre Williams, an early Trinidadian barrister and pan-Africanist, was born on June 16, 1869, in Arouca, Trinidad. Though less known than Marcus Garvey, Williams was a foundational figure in the early global Black consciousness movement. He organized the First Pan-African Conference in London in 1900, which gathered delegates from Africa, the Caribbean, and the United States. This historic event set the ideological groundwork for future movements seeking African unity and liberation. Williams later became the first Black person elected to public office in Britain, serving on the Marylebone Borough Council. His political and legal activism challenged British colonialism and racial injustice at a time when Black voices were largely excluded from global platforms. His legacy helped shape the intellectual and organizational frameworks that leaders like Garvey and Du Bois would later expand. June 16 marks the birth of a true pioneer in transatlantic Black political thought.