A LESSON EVERY DAY...... A LEGACY EVERY MONTH...... A KEEPSAKE FOR YEARS TO COME
IOKTS - I Only Know the Story
A Journey into 365 Days of Black History wall calendar 2026
12 Significant
Contributors for 2026
FEATURED HISTORY MAKER for 2026
INSIDE THE 2026 EDITION
July, 27, 2025
A BRIEF HISTORY OF IOKTS
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 produced.
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 publisher stood out over all the others, Pomegranate. So after discussions with the folks at Pomegranate, they produced our 1989 calendar,and has published our calendars to the present day, 36 years.. The company changed it's name to What's A Face Productions then finally IOKTS, I Only Know the Story.
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This is the cover of our first edition with Pomegranate Art Books (1989). Since 1983, IOKTS continues to research the annals of history, searching for known and unknown historical gems that celebrate the contributions of Black people. Truth crushed to the earth, shall rise again.--MLK
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Andrea Motley Crabtree, SC
“Your work does more than highlight names it preserves legacies. It gives voice to those too often left out of history books, an it makes the stories of people visible, lasting, and worthy of honor.."
Arlene Corsano, NJ
"So beautiful. Rose would be smiling from ear to ear to see her page. Bless you for all you do to keep America's history true and real."
EP
"I'm a seventy year old white male who left school before high school. I've purchsed this specific calendar for about the past ten consecutive years. Because of this calendar, I have read many biographies, historical references and various works by African American authors. I would like to thank the people who produce it every year.."
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Address:
6817 Georgia Ave. NW #207, Washington, DC 20012
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