The important summary of the dissertation of Ben Bentley came to my attention because of references to the Montreal Division of the UNIA in Canada. Further I noticed there was a lack of information regarding the Surgeon General of the UNIA the Right Hon. D.D. Lewis a Nigerian. This may have been included in other parts of the dissertation which I have not read.

As Chief Medical Officer for the UNIA and ACL the leadership of Dr. Lewis was important in Montreal and to the UNIA worldwide because of the segregated health status of Africa and the Diaspora particularly in urban areas such as the Gold Coast, British Accra, now named Ghana. Segregation of health care and health facilities was characteristic of all colonial countries. It was similar to the Jim-Crow segregation of the United States.

Throughout the history of the UNIA; and following the death of Dr. Garvey (June 10, 1940); the Garvey movement in Seattle continued to visit Vancover members of the UNIA in that part of Canada. This information came to my attention from elders of the Garvey movement in Seattle.

As Chief Medical Officer for the UNIA the Office of Surgeon General was responsible for preparing: reports; statistics; eugenic data; implementing health education (T.B., hygiene, STD's, etc.) and generally contributing to the health status of the race as part of the work of the UNIA. This included the Universal African Black Cross Nurses of the World; nurse training (under 16 years of age); members of the Legion and the Juvenile Divisions of the UNIA. Dr. Lewis was also tasked with the examination of officers of the UNIA.

For further information you may visit www.hartford-hwp.com/archives/45a/420html-20k titled Marcus Garvey.

The article was authored by me during 2003 as part of the content for my url Welcome to the Marcus Garvey Library. However the entire article has not been put on line for reasons that are not clear.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

Dr. I.M. Spence-Lewis