by Randy Roberts

The first organized immigration of freed slaves to Africa from the United States departs New York harbor on a journey to Freetown, Sierra Leone, in West Africa. The immigration was largely the work of the American Colonization Society, a U.S. organization founded in 1816 by Robert Finley to return freed American slaves to Africa. However, the expedition was also partially funded by the U.S. Congress, which in 1819 had appropriated $100,000 to be used in returning displaced Africans, illegally brought to the United States after the abolishment of the slave trade in 1808, to Africa.

The program was modeled after British’s efforts to resettle freed slaves in Africa following England’s abolishment of the slave trade in 1772. In 1787, the British government settled 300 former slaves and 70 white prostitutes on the Sierra Leone peninsula in West Africa. Within two years, most members of this settlement had died from disease or warfare with the local Temne people. However, in 1792, a second attempt was made when 1,100 freed slaves, mostly individuals who had supported Britain during the American Revolution and were unhappy with their postwar resettlement in Canada, established Freetown under the leadership of British abolitionist Thomas Clarkson.

During the next few decades, thousands of freed slaves came from Canada, the West Indies, and other parts of West Africa to the Sierra Leone Colony, and in 1820 the first freed slaves from the United States arrived at Sierra Leone. In 1821, the American Colonization Society founded the colony of Liberia south of Sierra Leone as a homeland for freed U.S. slaves outside of British jurisdiction.

Most Americans of African descent were not enthusiastic to abandon their homes in the United States for the West African coast. The American Colonization Society also came under attack from American abolitionists, who charged that the removal of freed slaves from the United States strengthened the institution of slavery. However, between 1822 and the American Civil War, some 15,000 African Americans settled in Liberia, which was granted independence by the United States in 1847 under pressure from Great Britain. Liberia was granted official U.S. diplomatic recognition in 1862. It was the first independent democratic republic in African history.

“Freed U.S. slaves depart on journey to Africa.” 2009. The History Channel website. 6 Feb 2009, 11:24 http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history.do?action=Article&id=4741.

from: Liberia l The Trail

On this date in 1943, the government abruptly announced that wartime rationing of shoes made of leather would go into effect in two days, limiting consumers to buying three pairs per person per year.

Source: (Associated Press)

** Akkarco LLC of Lorton, Virginia, is voluntarily recalling Ashfiat Alharamain Energy Support because the product contains undeclared Tadalafil, an ingredient in FDA approved products for treatment of male erectile dysfunction in the family of drugs known as phosphodiesterase (PDE5) inhibitors. Products containing tadalafil cannot be marketed as dietary supplements. Ashfiat Alharamain Energy Support is an unapproved new drug for which safety and efficacy have not been established.

Tadalafil is approved by the FDA only for use under medical supervision.the recalled product is packaged in a in a glass bottle with an orange label, and includes the code information below

• Product & Brand Name: ASHFIAT ALHARAMAIN
• UPC: 1234561870003
• Batch No: ENCOT24
• EXP: OCT, 2028

Product codes and expiration date scan be found on the product packaging backside. The affected product(s) were distributed nationwide within the United States https://akkarco.com/External Link Disclaimer including third-party e-commerce marketplaces i.e. amazon.comExternal Link Disclaimer.

**Why Not Natural, Houston, Texas, is Recalling its Why Not Natural Organic Moringa – Green Superfood because of Possible Health Risk

** Akkarco LLC Recalls Product Due to Possible Health Risk

** ARLINGTON, VA., January 26, 2026 — Gerber Products Company is initiating a voluntary recall of limited batches of Gerber® Arrowroot Biscuits out of an abundance of caution due to the potential presence of soft plastic and/or paper pieces that should not be consumed. The material comes from an arrowroot flour supplier who initiated a recall. We are no longer working with the flour supplier. While no illnesses or injuries have been reported, we are acting out of an abundance of caution following a recall from the supplier.

This recall is isolated to limited batches of Gerber® Arrowroot Biscuits 5.5oz products produced between July 2025 and September 2025. In the U.S., this recall is nationwide. For consumer support and product questions, Gerber is available 24/7 at 1-800-4-GERBER (1-800-443-7237). https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/gerber-products-company-announces-voluntary-recall-limited-batches-arrowroot-biscuits-out-abundance Please use the link to check if your product is listed … there are several batch codes listed

** Suzanna’s Kitchen, a Norcross, Ga., establishment, is recalling approximately 13,720 pounds of ready- to-eat grilled chicken breast fillet products that may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes ( Lm), the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) announced…

Impacted Products

• 10-lb. cases containing two 5 lb. bags of fully cooked grilled chicken breast fillets with rib meat, with lot code 60104 P1382 287 5 J14 on the side of the case and on the package.

1795 – The 11th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified.

1818 – “Academician” began publication in New York City.

1877 – The first Guernsey Cattle Club was organized in New York City.

1882 – The last bareknuckle fight for the heavyweight boxing championship took place in Mississippi City.

1913 – The Turks lost 5,000 men in a battle with the Bulgarian army in Gallipoli.

1922 – DeWitt and Lila Acheson Wallace offered 5,000 copies of “Reader’s Digest” magazine for the first time.

1931 – The American opera “Peter Ibbetson,” by Deems Taylor, premiered in New York City.

1936 – The U.S. Vice President’s flag was established by executive order.

1940 – “Pinocchio” world premiered at the Center Theatre in Manhattan.

1941 – The Tommy Dorsey Orchestra and Frank Sinatra recorded “Everything Happens to Me.”

1943 – The U.S. government announced that shoe rationing would go into effect in two days.

1944 – During World War II, the Germans launched a counteroffensive at Anzio, Italy.

1959 – The play “The Rivalry” opened in New York City.

1962 – The U.S. government banned all Cuban imports and re-export of U.S. products to Cuba from other countries.

1966 – “Crawdaddy” magazine was published by Paul Williams for the first time.

1974 – The nation of Grenada gained independence from Britain.

1976 – Darryl Sittler (Toronto Maple Leafs) set a National Hockey League (NHL) record when he scored 10 points in a game against the Boston Bruins. He scored six goals and four assists.

1977 – Russia launched Soyuz 24.

1984 – Space shuttle astronauts Bruce McCandless II and Robert L. Stewart made the first untethered space walk.

1985 – “Sports Illustrated” released its annual swimsuit edition. It was the largest regular edition in the magazine’s history at 218 pages.

1985 – “New York, New York” became the official anthem of New York City.

1986 – Haitian President-for-Life Jean-Claude Duvalier fled his country ending 28 years of family rule.

1991 -was sworn in as Haiti’s first democratically elected president.

1999 – NASA’s Stardust space probe was launched. The mission was to return comet dust samples from comet Wild 2. The mission was completed on January 15, 2006 when the sample return capsule returned to Earth.

2000 – California‘s legislature declared that February 13 would be “Charles M. Schulz Day.”

2008 – The Space Shuttle Atlantis launched with the mission of delivering the Columbus science laboratory to the International Space Station.

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