IOKTS - I Only Know the Story

IOKTS began in 1983 with the production of the Premier Edition, 365 Days of Black Histoty wall calendar. The company was called Clover International. Clover was derived from merging letters of the names of key relatives into an acronym. This calendar was researched, printed, sold and distributed by the company founder and head researcher, G. Theodore Catherine. 

There were two calendars that were self-produced. One each in 1984 and 1985. After collecting materials for a 1986 calendar, the money ran out. So I had to figure out a plan B to get these calendars. 

In 1988, while managing the Vitamin Department at YES! in Georgetown, my boss Debbie S. informed me that her brother, a publisher was going to be in town for the annual Booksellers Convention (ABA). This event was only open to booksellers, but Debbie was able to get me a pass through her brother.

I attended the conference and met up with several interested publishers, but one publishers stood out over all the others, Pomegranate. So after discussions with the folks at Pomegranate, they produced our 1989 calendar. The company changed it's name to What's A Face Productions.

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This is the cover of our first edition with Pomegranate Art Books. Since 1983 IOKTS continues to research our history for historical gems that celebrate the contributions of Black people. Truth crushed to the earth, shall rise again.--MLK

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