Mike,
You never posted a pic. Though very small black insects sounds like black aphids.
Remy

They are probably aphids. I had them on two of my okra last year and freaked out. I actually put seven dust on them and it cleared up immediately. I wish I had gotten to them faster though. The plants started to look pretty ratty. After dusting them, I had okra out the wazoo! Good luck

I, too, have some kind of bug on my okra. It is larger than an aphid; about the size and shape of a lady bug, but it is white with black spots and is soft. Anyone seen anything like that before?