What Is It About Black History That Frightens the Hell Out of the (WHITE)            Far Right?


Scholar Molefi Kete Asante discusses the radical origins of Black History Month and how it confronts cultural hegemony.

By George Yancy , 

TRUTHOUT

February 24, 2024

JGI / TOM GRILL / TETRA IMAGES / GETTY IMAGES

In February 1926, the Black historian and scholar Carter G. Woodson established Negro History Week, which later became known as Black History Month. In 1915, along with others, Woodson also helped to establish the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, and, in 1916, he started the Journal of Negro History. By 1933, Woodson’s powerful book, The Miseducation of the Negro, was published.

Woodson was a Black intellectual who fought to have the history of Black people told. At the time of his book, Woodson understood that Black people were being miseducated, inculcated with egregious ideas about Black “inferiority” and indoctrinated to believe that they were historyless. He understood that a key part of white supremacy involves the attempt to control the very thoughts of Black people and thereby their actions, arguing that this domination strategy is aimed at producing a situation in which white people “do not have to tell [Black people] not to stand here or go yonder. [They] will find [their] ‘proper place’ and will stay in it.” Hence, for Woodson, the education of Black people necessarily entailed the interrogation of white ideology and mythology that passed itself off as “knowledge.” Education for Black people was designed to liberate and decolonize their minds and generate political action.

When I think about our current celebration of Black History Month, I wonder if Woodson would approve of how this month is being practiced. Is our current approach to this month radical enough in relation to Black knowledge production? To address this theme and others, I reached out to the prolific scholar Molefi Kete Asante, professor in the Department of Africology at Temple University, who has published over 100 books, most recently, The Precarious Center, or When Will the African Narrative Hold? The interview that follows has been lightly edited for clarity.

George Yancy: What do you think Carter G. Woodson would say about how Black History Month is recognized and celebrated in the U.S.? I am worried that, like MLK Day, Black History Month will be stripped of moments and Black figures in history that are deemed “too radical.”

Molefi Kete Asante: Carter G. Woodson was a visionary; he would have visualized an African American population well educated and capable of educating fellow citizens about the achievements and accomplishments of African people. He would say that Black history is American history, and that the celebration of Black history is a profoundly American event. Yet Woodson would not think that merely celebrating was enough; he would wish for an action agenda that would see African American history taught in all public schools because it is the glue that helps students explain social, political and economic discrepancies.

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As to what is radical, no one in our history who has added to the victories over micro- and macro-aggressions needs to be avoided in Black history. It is not just the figures who have been praised by whites that should be honored, but those that whites have shunned such as Nat Turner, Marcus Garvey, Assata Shakur, Maulana Karenga, Bobby Seale and Angela Davis. In addition to those who have been outside of our gaze, there are those who have worked like Fred Gray, MLK’s lawyer, who spent a lifetime attacking all of the vestiges of segregation that he could find in the American South. Gray contributed to civil rights by giving us the practical tools to fight against all forms of discrimination based on race.

We know that the far right (typically, white) bathe in the perpetuation of white lies. They distort our history, and water down its complexity. If history helps to define the spirit and existential vibrancy of Black people, then an attack on Black history is an attack on the lives of Black people. What is it about Black history — its content, its function, its potential — that frightens the hell out of the far right?

Black history challenges cultural hegemony and makes visible that which was deliberately or ignorantly made invisible; in other words, all that we know about African Americans today is the results of a demanding African American insistence that our history be available to everyone.

Carter G. Woodson devoted his entire life to the mission of corrective history about African Americans. With a singular emphasis on the significance of knowing what Africans had done, he was certain that kernels of knowledge about Africa and African American history would transform the way we saw ourselves. He was correct, because almost every Black person who has accomplished something important can point to models, examples and events that inspired them.

Young people who want to achieve something in science, art, artificial intelligence, architecture or culture can discover a bountiful field of African inspirations. This worries the far right because it means that Black people are no longer seeing themselves on the plantation that had been designed to minimize African people to enforce the illusion of white supremacy.

The aim of the far right is not so much a philosophical attack on African Americans (as in critical race theory; or diversity, equity and inclusion) as it is a cultural attack on African people themselves. In a strange way, our Blackness represents the origins of civilization, even beyond that, the beginning of our species, Homo sapiens. Consequently, any progressive social, economic or political project supported by African Americans could be a target of attack. Black people are no longer slinking back away from intellectual confrontation; we are confronting those who threaten our beingness with historical knowledge, wisdom and the assertion of a common humanity. Our aim as human beings is to fight to allow others to be human beings.

Black history challenges cultural hegemony and makes visible that which was deliberately or ignorantly made invisible

I really appreciate the profundity of how you characterize the aim of Black people, and how that aim is expansive and existentially inclusive. As we know, there are many ways that Black people can celebrate Black History Month. What would you recommend? I am especially interested in what you think needs to be emphasized and discussed in ways that have been overlooked. This brings us back to the theme of a more radical way of recognizing the purpose of Black History Month.

I think we should emphasize the nobility of people who have continued to succeed in a tough arena where our achievements have been minimized, ignored or disbelieved. Thus, it is persistent courage that is at the core of our history. Almost every Black community has individuals or groups who have made our history remarkable. Each town, city or community can identify some local figure or figures to serve as markers of persistent courage. It does not have to be material success or athletic prowess, but it could be a schoolteacher who rose to a task of providing space for children to learn history, values, and to receive cultural grounding.

Although MLK Day has taken on the idea of a national day of service in many cities, Black History Month has never had a specific action plan except to provide children with books on African Americans, information about African cultures, and classes and workshops about famous Black people. This is useful and necessary. What I propose for the month is “A Month of Awareness” where every day, those who want to celebrate learn something new for each day. Woodson put several projects and institutions in the service of Black history. He established the Associated Publishers, organized the Association for the Study of African American Life and History and wrote books for all ages. Our task is to make Woodson live in our daily activities by demonstrating awareness of who we are in the context of American and world history.

Children must be taught that the 300 or more African ethnic groups that were enslaved in the Americas came from a long history of civilization. Imhotep, the builder of the first pyramid was an African man. An African woman, Sobekneferu, was the first queen to rule a country in history. Almost all of the skills necessary for human survival were conceived and practiced and in Africa by humans long before migration out of Africa happened for Homo sapiens.

As you’ve demonstrated, Black History Month is certainly about education. What, for you, are the aims of education for Black people? And how might Black History Month resonate in the hearts and minds of Black people beyond February?

Education is different from training and ought to provide students with context, reason and knowledge. Without history, there is no context for students to understand what they learn. This means that reasoning is incomplete, and their knowledge is not a badge of achievement, but a weight around their necks. It is not alarmist to say that education, as a public system, has not always been our friend; indeed, the statistics of the condition of African American education suggest that education has often systematically robbed Black children of motivation, creativity, cultural identity and assertiveness. This means that children often leave school more damaged psychologically and culturally than they could or would, had they remained at home.

What I would love to see happen in the next iteration of Black History Month is a connection to a Pan African spirit. I have found people in Colombia, Brazil, Canada and Mexico, alongside people in the Caribbean and on the continent of Africa who have been inspired by the persistent and determined example set by African Americans to assert a common, nonhierarchal humanity.

At the current time, most schools treat Black History Month as a time for special emphasis on Black achievements, and there is nothing wrong with this idea; it was one of the wishes of Woodson. However, a more positive idea, now that we have the attention of the education system in many areas, is to integrate African American history and culture in every subject area in every classroom by inserting a fact or factoid in every lesson plan. Once this is practiced in any large urban district, it will catch on in others and be deemed a success. Every action takes political will and moral courage, without which it is impossible to succeed.

Beautifully stated, Molefi. I would like to end with a famous quote by Frederick Douglass, whose very birthdate has been erased by the white people who enslaved him and stole that part of his history: “This struggle may be a moral one, or it may be a physical one, and it may be both moral and physical, but it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.”


GEORGE YANCY is the Samuel Candler Dobbs professor of philosophy at Emory University and a Montgomery fellow at Dartmouth College. He is also the University of Pennsylvania’s inaugural fellow in the Provost’s Distinguished Faculty Fellowship Program (2019-2020 academic year). He is the author, editor and co-editor of over 20 books, including Black Bodies, White Gazes; Look, A White; Backlash: What Happens When We Talk Honestly about Racism in America; and Across Black Spaces: Essays and Interviews from an American Philosopher published by Rowman & Littlefield in 2020.

UK
Linda Bellos: A Trailblazer in Activism, Equality, and Black History


Written by Ian Thomas
07/02/2024





Linda Bellos OBE, a figure synonymous with advocacy, equality, and change, has been a dynamic force in British political and social activism since the 1980s. Her contributions to LGBTQ+ rights, racial equality, feminism, and notably, Black History Month, have left an indelible mark on the UK’s landscape of social justice.

Linda Bellos was born in London in 1950 to a white Polish Jewish mother, Renee Sackman, and a Nigerian Yoruba father, Emmanuel Adebowale, who hailed from Uzebba and had joined the merchant navy during the Second World War. Her mother was disowned by her family for marrying an African Christian, a testament to the interracial and intercultural barriers Linda’s parents broke through. Raised in Brixton, Linda’s upbringing in a diverse and multicultural environment deeply influenced her perspectives on race, identity, and social justice.

Linda’s education journey reflects her diverse interests and intellect. She attended Silverthorne Girls’ Secondary Modern School and Dick Sheppard Comprehensive School, laying the groundwork for her later academic pursuits. She furthered her education at the University of Sussex from 1978 to 1981, a period that honed her critical thinking skills and solidified her commitment to social justice issues.

Political Beginnings and Leadership

Linda’s foray into politics was marked by her election to Lambeth Borough Council in 1986, where she made history as the first Black woman to hold the position of leader. Her tenure was characterised by her staunch defence of minority rights and her efforts to address social inequalities at a local level. Linda was not just a political leader; she was a visionary who sought to embed equality and diversity in the fabric of Lambeth’s policies and practices.

Advocacy for LGBTQ+ Rights

As an openly lesbian woman, Linda has been a fervent advocate for LGBTQ+ rights. Her activism is personal as well as political, bringing visibility to LGBTQ+ issues at a time when doing so was met with significant resistance and hostility. Through her work, Linda has fought for greater acceptance and rights for LGBTQ+ individuals, championing the cause in various capacities, including her influential role in shaping and advocating for progressive legislation.

Contribution to Racial Equality and Black History Month

Linda’s commitment to racial equality has been unwavering. Her involvement in the establishment and promotion of Black History Month in the UK is a testament to her dedication to celebrating the contributions and achievements of Black Britons. Linda’s work has included challenging institutional racism, promoting diversity in the workplace, and ensuring that Black history is recognised and honoured. Her leadership in the Black section of the Labour Party and her involvement in numerous anti-racism campaigns have underscored her dedication to achieving racial justice. By highlighting the importance of Black History Month, Linda has played a crucial role in educating the public and fostering a greater appreciation for the diverse tapestry of British history.

Feminism and Equality

A feminist through and through, Linda has worked tirelessly to elevate women’s issues and combat gender-based discrimination. Her feminism is intersectional, recognising the complex ways in which race, gender, sexuality, and class intersect to shape experiences of oppression and privilege. Her activism has contributed to significant discussions and developments in feminist theory and practice, particularly in highlighting the experiences of Black women and other marginalised groups.

Legacy and Ongoing Work

Linda’s legacy is a testament to her life’s work as an activist, leader, and advocate for social justice. Her contributions have been recognised with several honours, including an OBE for her services to diversity. Even in recent years, she continues to speak out on issues of equality and justice, participating in public debates, educational forums, and advocacy campaigns.

Her voice remains as vital and necessary today as it was when she first began her journey in activism. Linda Bellos’s story is not just one of personal achievement but a reminder of the ongoing struggle for equality and the impact one individual can have on the course of history.

Linda Bellos’s remarkable journey from a young woman confronting the injustices she saw in the world to a respected leader in the fight for equality demonstrates the power of resilience, courage, and conviction. Her multifaceted activism, especially her work on Black History Month, has paved the way for future generations to continue the fight for a fairer and more just society. As we reflect on her contributions, it becomes clear that Linda is not just a figure of the past but a continuing inspiration for those committed to the cause of equality and justice.

The History of Black History Month

This year in October we celebrate the 30th anniversary of Black History Month in the UK. And in doing so we recognise that it was first celebrated in 1987, eighteen months after the abolition of the Greater London Council, the GLC.

Written by Linda Bellos OBE

11/08/2017


I say this because I have heard some recent claims that Black History Month was initiated by Ken Livingstone whilst he was Leader of the GLC. I know it was not because I was one of the Leaders on the 15 Local Authorities which formed the body that took over the radical bits of the GLC after Margaret Thatcher’s Government after its abolition. The London Strategic Policy Unit (LSPU) recruited and employed hundreds of the staff that worked in the Ethnic Minority Unit, the Women’s Committee Support Unit and others of the progress GLC that Thatcher hated.

It was a difficult and demanding job to find ways of carrying on the progressive equalities work of the GLC but in the months leading up to abolition (31.3.1986) I and my fellow progressive Council Leaders across London did manage it just in time. I recall one of the most pressing issues was finding a building to house the LSPU but we did manage it. There was a particular irony for me because I was both a Councillor in Lambeth and an Officer working in the GLC and in the May of 1986 I was elected Leader of Lambeth Council and was soon sacked by Sir Tag Taylor whilst I worked for the successor body the London Residual Body(LRB) which took over the rundown of the GLC ‘s business after abolition.

I cannot recall exactly when Ansell Wong, the Head of the Ethnic Minority Unit (EMU) came to me with the idea of initiating Black History Month in the UK but I jumped at the idea. I had long argued for the inclusion of our struggles and triumphs in Britain having been a critic of the constant erasure of our people from British history. By then I was aware of people like Mary Seacole, from my days at Spare Rib where we did include story of her struggles uncovered by Elizabeth Onuwamu. I was very aware of how little Black children knew about the positive achievements of Black peoples, especially as my role as a Councillor in Lambeth made be very aware of how little positive support Black children were receiving whilst in so-called ‘Council Care’ . It was at this point that as Leader I insisted that the informal policy of Same Race Placement was made official.

So, having agreed the initiation of Black History Month I agreed that we would try to get Sally Mugabe to be a Guest of Honour and that we would use a large (and somewhat expensive) venue of the Commonwealth Institute. The nearest dates that fitted our Guest and the venue availability was October 1987. Hence Black History Month was held in October each year in contrast to being in February in the USA. Ironically when later Sue Sanders was considering running a similar initiative for the LGBT community she sought my advice (and approval) and I suggested that she ensure more control over what was done in the name of LGBT history Month than we had for Black History Month, I think it was me the suggested holding the event in February so that the UK and USA reversed the events.

By October 1988 we knew that we could no longer afford to keep the LSPU going Margaret Thatcher had won her third Election Victory in 1987. Sixteen of the Labour run Councils in London had been each contributing £1million so we agreed that we would close the LSPU but would absorb the staff across our various Councils. It was complicated but we did manage to do so for everyone who wanted to stay in Local Government. This was not however the end of Black History Month, because the duty under Section 71 of the Race Relations Act 1976 allowed us to promote good race relations etc. and those progressive Councils which had supported the LSPU tended to take that duty seriously, hence a series of Black History Month events across parts of London. Over the years they have been many and varied and some frankly have been awful. If I were in the same position again to start Black History Month I would call it African History Month not black or at the very least I would insist that Black had a capital letter and I think a steering group should propose an annual theme rather than letting anarchy and racism occur inadvertently due to lack of knowledge or just plain ignorance. I have been heard about what has happened in some schools across the UK that pick on the one or two African Heritage children and make them ‘perform’. Black History Month has been largely successful but it could be more so.

Linda Bellos is a former leader of Lambeth Council and a gay rights activist. She now runs a diversity consultancy. Linda was awarded an OBE in 2006 for services to diversity

UK
Why do we need Black History Month? Because too many people still reject it

Rightwing push-back on the idea that British history should encompass the black experience makes it all the more urgent

Diane Abbott

Mon 19 Oct 2020 

Black History Month has never been more relevant than in 2020. The Black Lives Matter movement has swept blackness to the heart of the political discourse. For me, it brings back memories of the upsurge of black activism in the 1980s, when I first entered politics.

In the 1980s, black people took to the streets of the UK, which partly reflected the US civil rights movement, but was also about the emergence of a new generation of black activists in this country. “Here to stay, here to fight,” was one of our favourite slogans on demonstrations. Importantly, riots erupted in cities all over the country, sparked by decades of injustices suffered by black communities at the hands of the police and other institutions. The riots started in Brixton, south London, in 1981. And there were other related uprisings in Handsworth, Birmingham; Southall, west London; Toxteth, Liverpool; Hyson Green in Nottingham; and Moss Side in Manchester. Black people taking to the streets in the 80s was probably the single most important factor in moving the fight for racial justice up the political agenda, and led to the election of myself and three other people as the first black members of parliament. It also made initiatives such as Black History Month possible.


The story of the Mangrove Nine

The move to the left in Labour, particularly in London, was also significant. The leadership of the party may have regarded with horror the “black sections” campaign, which I and other black members of the party set up to address racism and promote ethnic minority candidates within Labour, but Black History Month came from the left of the party. It was no coincidence that Akyaaba Addai-Sebo, an officer of the Greater London Council (GLC), organised the very first Black History Month in Britain.

In a later interview, Addai-Sebo said that although he had initiated the idea, it was a collective effort, and it could not have been achieved without the London strategic policy unit, which was an organisation established after the Thatcher government abolished the GLC in 1986.

Among the many people involved in creating Black History Month, he mentions some of the first black MPs, Bernie Grant and Paul Boateng (now a Labour peer), and local politicians of the day, including Linda Bellos, Herman Ouseley and Ken Livingstone.

These were all big figures in the municipal socialism of the era. And there were many other council officers who were actively involved. In fact, it has been leftwing local authorities that have provided much of the funding for Black History Month over the decades.

In recent years there has been a lull in interest in Black History Month. It is still a mainstay of school curriculums, but there has been a backlash from both the right and the left. Black activists routinely described it as tokenistic. The usual argument was that every month should be Black History month. Now Black Lives Matter has brought issues about black people and history to centre stage once more.

Amazingly, institutions at the heart of the British establishment, from the Bank of England to the National Trust and the City of London, along with Oxbridge colleges and our leading museums, are now having unprecedented discussions about black people and British history.

But there has been a serious push-back by some rightwing pundits and politicians against the idea that British history should also encompass the black experience.

‘Black Lives Matter has brought issues about black people and history to centre stage once more.’ A postbox honouring black Britons. Photograph: Leon Neal/Getty

In Hackney, east London, we have the well-known Museum of the Home (until recently called the Geffrye museum), which was funded by the slave trader Robert Geffrye. His statue stands in pride of place. But in the wake of Black Lives Matter, the museum had a public consultation about whether the local community wanted a slave trader honoured in this way. Residents said that the statue should be taken down. However, on hearing this decision, the culture secretary, Oliver Dowden, took the trouble to write to the museum, reminding it that it was funded by the government, which was strongly opposed the statue being moved. Sadly, the museum caved in to government pressure. And the statue of a man who made his money out of trading in black Africans still looms over multicultural Hackney.

It’s not just Tory ministers such as Dowden, or the men who organise counter-demonstrations to Black Lives Matter events, ostensibly to “protect” statues, for whom it seems black lives emphatically don’t matter when it comes to how Britain frames it history. There are still too many people who resist the idea that black people and our history should be accepted as part of the sweep of British history.

This is why Black History Month remains extremely relevant, and is worth keeping and fighting for. The fight for racial justice must always have an appreciation of our culture and history at its heart.

• Diane Abbott is the Labour MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington

• To buy the Guardian’s black history wallcharts, visit the Guardian bookshop and use code 15CHART for a 50% discount

Black History Month should be time for celebration, reflection: organizers

Black History Month doesn’t have to be just a time to reflect upon trailblazers who paid the ultimate sacrifice in the fight for racial justice and equity, it should be a time to celebrate people young and old who are still fighting the fight and achieving significant milestones, according to Phiona Durrant, founder of the Aurora Black Community (ABC) Association.

This was a message Ms. Durrant delivered alongside colleagues from the Aurora Black Caucus and the Town’s Anti-Black Racism and Anti-Racism Task Force at Town Hall last Tuesday to mark the start of Black History Month and the raising of the Pan-African flag outside the municipal offices.

“We know there is oppression involved [in Black History] but that does not define who we are,” she said. “Black is awesome, Black is beautiful, courageous, intelligent. We are authors, presidents, teachers, lawyers, house cleaners (and I love to clean a good house!), we’re everything! So, today, when we celebrate Black History month, I hope you don’t remember just the ones who were killed; just remember we’re excellent [and] we’re filled with potential.

“No matter what you’re fighting for, someone is going to stand against it. ‘What’s the difference between raising this flag and everything else? What will change? The flag will be raised, everybody will get their photos, and we will go back to our beds, roll over, and nothing happens.’ I am telling you what will change. What will change is you finding the courage to speak up. I don’t care if you’re White – don’t tell me you’re White so you can’t speak – this flag is not just raised for Black people. Jean Augustine (the first Black Canadian woman to serve in Federal Cabinet) says, ‘Black history is Canadian history, not only Black people.’ When you make excuses, for your colour, for why you don’t speak and show up, I forgive you.”

Dozens of people from all different backgrounds attended last week’s ceremony, including MP Leah Taylor Roy, MPP Michael Parsa, Mayor Tom Mrakas, and Councillors Wendy Gaertner, John Gallo, Rachel Gilliland, Sandra Humfryes, Harold Kim, and Michael Thompson.

Taking her chance to speak up, Taylor Roy said that as proud as Canadians are of their history, “there are things about our history we’re not as proud of.”

“I think acknowledging that and moving forward to make sure that those things don’t happen again, that we really fight hard to ensure there is no more discrimination, that we all work together, and that those of us who are allies realize that the work that has to be done is not for the Black community alone – it is for all of us,” she said.

Added Parsa: “All forms of racial injustice and inequality should never be tolerated anywhere. This should be the focus of not just the month of February but every single day of the year. I encourage all of you to reflect and learn about the contributions Black Ontarians have and continue to have in our Province. We must all find ways to contribute and make our communities free from racism, inequality and discrimination.”

Stories of contributions made by everyday Black Ontarians were shared by Mark Lewis, Chair of the Town’s Anti-Black Racism and Anti-Racism Task Force. He shared poignant stories of the pioneers in his own family, including his educator father, mother, and grandfather.

“Black History Month is a time to reflect upon and celebrate the accomplishments of our ancestors,” said Lewis. “While we push forward and build upon their legacy, it is important to recognize not only the pioneers in our struggles to achieve equality in society but our hometown heroes.”

His grandfather was a teacher and principal in The Grenadines prior to coming to Canada. His father followed in his footsteps as a high school teacher after achieving his Engineering degree from McGill University.

“An engineering degree from McGill carries a lot of clout in this country, but for a Black man in the sixties, it did not guarantee employability due to racism,” he shared. “It was at this point my dad followed in their footsteps and taught in the North York Board of Education for two years before going back to school to earn a Masters Degree in Education from Queen’s University.

“His hard work, coupled with the drive of my hard-working mother, who was a middle school English teacher and librarian in East York, one of the most diverse and low-income neighbourhoods in the GTA – their work afforded my sister and I the privilege of growing up in Markham in the 80s, a town at the time not unlike Aurora, about to experience exponential growth and struggle.

“I am proud to be an Aurora resident. I am also proud of the struggles of my parents that shaped my development. It is important for us to take time and reflect upon the legacies of our forefathers and mothers. As Nelson Mandela once elegantly stated, ‘The history of struggle is rich with the stories of heroes and heroines. Some of them leaders, some of them followers, all of them deserve to be remembered.’”

For Milton Hart, head of the Aurora Black Caucus, these leaders include Durrant as well as Jerisha Grant-Hall, Chair of the Newmarket African Caribbean Canadian Association.

“These women are doing a fantastic job and will go down as part of Canadian history,” said Hart. “It should be Black History Year. It should also be a situation where Black history is woven into our curriculum. It should be woven into every facet of our media. There is a very simple truth I want to convey here: Black history is indeed Canadian history. Yes, we can talk about racism. We should indeed talk about the atrocities of the past. But we cannot forget Viola Desmond. We should talk about societal ills, but we can’t forget about someone like Garrett Morgan, whose work gave us the three-light stoplight. We can talk about the atrocities of the past, but we should never forget Lewis Latimer, whose work gave us the electric bulb.

“I’m here because some folks, White, Black, people from every race decided not to settle. I am here because people from ever race decided to stand up so that I could run. They decided to sit so I could move around. Let’s learn from Black history in order to bring honour to the stalwarts on whose shoulders we stand on. Indeed, we stand on the shoulders of giants. Indeed, we stand on the shoulders of people who just wouldn’t settle, people who resisted. Every single civil rights movement that we have come to know only gained traction because people from every single race decided to stand up.”

Brock Weir, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Auroran

SEE 

 LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment: Search results for BLACK HISTORY MONTH 

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment: Search results for BLACK HISTORY 

Black History Month Posts

Here we are half way through February and half way through Black History Month. Here are my posts from the past dedicated to Black History.

Black History Month; Paul Lafargue

Black History Month; P.B. Randolph

Black History Month; C.L.R. James

Black Herstory Month: Lucy Parsons

American Proletarian Republicanism

History Of Slave Ships

Abolishing Slavery In Canada

History of Slavery

The Truth Shall Set Ye Free

Jamestown; the beginning of Globalization

Jamestown; The Birth of Capitalism

The Many Headed Hydra

Find blog posts, photos, events and more off-site about:
CLR James,
Paul Lafargue,
black history,, black history month, P B Randolph,
Lucy Parsons,
capitalism,, history,, slavery,, primitive, accumulation, of, capital,, Atlantic, History,, Britain,, workers,, proletariat,, socialism,, labour, history,, labor, history,, Nova Scotia, Black Loyalists,, colonialism,, American, colonies,,

Pickering councillor faces backlash after penning op-ed criticizing Black History Month celebrations

I AM NOT RACIST SAYS RACIST

CBC
Tue, February 6, 2024

In an op-ed published this week, Pickering Coun. Lisa Robinson denounced the idea of celebrating Black History Month, saying that 'the race to equality is not the celebration of one race over another.' (Lisa Robinson/X - image credit)

A Pickering city councillor is facing backlash from community members and her council colleagues after penning an op-ed saying she does not support the concept of Black History Month, which led to public outcry and some demanding an apology.

In the op-ed, which was published online Sunday in the Oshawa Durham Central Newspaper, Coun. Lisa Robinson denounced the idea of celebrating Black History Month, arguing that "the race to equality is not the celebration of one race over another.

"We are so hung up on North American history and the historical trafficking of primarily African people that we have lost sense of time and period," she wrote.

"Back in those days society was very different. Today, we have come a long way."

In an email to CBC Toronto Monday, Robinson defended the op-ed, saying her comments were not racist.

"My statement is merely wanting to support unity and equality for all," she wrote. "Instead of segregating people based on their colour, religion, or sexual preferences, we should be celebrating our shared humanity."

'It's insulting and hurtful,' says Black health advocate

Carion Fenn, health advocate and founder of the Carion Fenn Foundation, said this is the latest example of inflammatory sentiment toward marginalized communities. Fenn is demanding Robinson apologize to Durham's Black community.

"We should not have that mindset at council table," she said.

"It's insulting and it's hurtful. It pains us. It brings up the hurt and the pain that we have endured and it continues that trauma that is impacting our health … We need to protect the Black community."

Fenn said she would like to see the city's integrity commissioner investigate Robinson's remarks.

"Statements like these do not represent the Pickering that I know. We can't let her behaviour reflect the overall view of Pickering," she said.

The Womxn of Colour Durham Collective, a youth-led organization, also criticized the op-ed.

"We find the language used deplorable as it in essence waters down the beauty, complexity and power that is Black History," the Collective said.

"It is important that these celebrations continue so as to not ignore the past, but to confront it and be uncomfortable with it."

'Disheartening' to see display of insensitivity: mayor

Pickering Mayor Kevin Ashe addressed the op-ed during an executive committee meeting on Monday, where he said the sentiments expressed by Robinson in the piece "run counter to the values we at council have collectively championed.

"Her words have caused concern in our community and in my view [have] hurt our community. As mayor, I'm obligated to address this matter with a degree of urgency," Ashe said.

"It is disheartening to witness such displays of insensitivity towards Black History Month, a time when we should be celebrating the rich contributions of Afro-Canadians to our great nation," he said.

"While I staunchly believe in the principles of free speech that form the bedrock of our democratic society, I must remind Coun. Robinson of the sworn oath taken to respect and abide by the wishes of this council."

MayorKevin Ashe

Pickering Mayor Kevin Ashe said Coun. Lisa Robinson's remarks on Black History Month have 'caused concern in our community and ... hurt our community.' (CBC)

Ashe said that the suggestion by Robinson, that recognizing Black History is divisive, is contrary to the principles of equity and inclusion that council upholds.

In response to the mayor's comments, Robinson said, "I would hope that no Black people in Pickering and beyond will feel my remarks were inflammatory or were disrespectful."

Robinson previously docked pay

The councillor's remarks come just a few months after she wasfound to have promoted "homophobic and transphobic" attitudes by the city's integrity commissioner for conduct last May.

In May 2023, Robinson encouraged a crowd at a Durham District School Board meeting to lobby politicians and to attend an upcoming Pickering city council meeting en masse in support of her motions to ban drag shows and pride parades anywhere children could be present, to limit non-government flag raising and to change city policy to mandate people use gender-specific washrooms.

Pickering city council voted to suspend her pay for a period of 60 days as a result — something Robinson told CBC Toronto Monday that she intends to seek a judicial review for, as it was based on "unfounded allegations and distortions of the truth."

Robinson was alsopreviously docked 30 days of pay after another integrity commissioner investigation concluded that one of her Facebook posts was a form of bullying. Robinson referenced that decision in her Sunday op-ed, which was published in print Tuesday. In it, she said she felt that "council was treating me like a modern day slave" for docking her pay.

In 2021, Robinson was a candidate for the federal Conservative party in the Toronto riding of Beaches-East York but got booted after past Islamophobic tweets surfaced.

'Whitewashed and erased': There's a reason Juneteenth isn't taught in schools, educators say

WHY WE NEED CURRICULUM TO RECOGNIZE AND ADAPT RUBRICS FOR BLACK HISTORY MONTH, LABOUR HISTORY MONTH, WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH, LGBTQ PRIDE MONTH, SOUTH ASIAN & ASIAN AMERICAN HISTORY MONTH, DIFFERENTLY ABLED MONTH,  ETC. 
Daniella Silva, NBC News•June 18, 2020



A Connecticut fourth grade social studies textbook falsely claimed that slaves were treated just like “family.” A Texas geography textbook referred to enslaved Africans as “workers.” In Alabama, up until the 1970s, fourth graders learned in a textbook called "Know Alabama" that slave life on a plantation was "one of the happiest ways of life."

In contrast, historians and educators point out, many children in the U.S. education system are not taught about major Black historical events, such as the Tulsa Race Massacre or Juneteenth, the June 19 commemoration of the end of slavery in the United States.

As the country grapples with a racial reckoning following the killing of George Floyd in police custody, educators said that what has and what has not been taught in school have been part of erasing the history of systemic racism in America and the contributions of Black people and other minority groups.
'

Whitewashed and erased': There's a reason Juneteenth isn't taught in schools, educators say

“There’s a long legacy of institutional racism that is barely covered in the mainstream corporate curriculum,” said Jesse Hagopian, an ethnic studies teacher in Seattle and co-editor of the book “Teaching for Black Lives.”

“It’s really astounding how little the contributions of Black people are included in much of the mainstream curriculum and how much of that institutional racism is disguised,” he said.

Historians said curriculums are about identity and learning about ourselves and others.

“The curriculum was never designed to be anything other than white supremacist," Julian Hayter, a historian and an associate professor at the University of Richmond in Virginia, said, "and it has been very difficult to convince people that other versions of history are not only worth telling. They’re absolutely essential for us as a country to move closer to something that might reflect reconciliation but even more importantly, the truth."

LaGarrett King, an associate professor of social studies education at the University of Missouri, said the history curriculums in schools are meant to tell a story and, in the U.S., that has been one of a “progressive history of the country.”

“Really the overarching theme is, ‘Yes, we made mistakes, but we overcame because we are the United States of America,'” said King, who is also the founding director of the Carter Center for K-12 Black History Education at the university.

“What that has done is it has erased tons of history that would combat that progressive narrative,” he said.

King said the experiences and oppression of Black people, Latino people, indigenous people, Asian people and other minority groups in the U.S. are largely ignored or sidelined to fit those narratives.

“So, of course you’re not going to have crucial information such as what happened in Tulsa, you’re not going to have information such as the bombing of a Philadelphia black neighborhood,” he said.

In 1921 in Oklahoma, whites looted and destroyed Tulsa's Greenwood District, known for its affluent Black community. Historians believe that as many as 300 Black people were killed.



In May 1985, Philadelphia police dropped a bomb onto the compound of MOVE, a black liberation group, killing six members, five of their children and destroying 65 homes in the neighborhood.

Another often-omitted period of U.S. Black history is the Red Summer, a period of time through 1919 when white mobs incited a wave of anti-Black violence in dozens of cities.

As for the protests against racial inequality and police brutality after the killing of Floyd and other Black people at the hands of police, King emphasized that these movements were not new.

“Black people have been saying this for the past 400 years, this is not a new movement,” he said. “Each generation has had their point in time where they’re trying to say through protest, through rebellion, ‘listen to us, listen to us,’” he said.

Part of the problem is that society has never listened to that history, he said.

“In many ways we wouldn’t have a Black Lives Matter movement if Black lives mattered in the classroom,” he said.

The current moment has also put increased national attention on Juneteenth, which is Friday this year.

President Donald Trump said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal on Thursday that he moved a rally in Tulsa set for Friday to Saturday “out of respect” for two African American friends and supporters.

“I did something good. I made it famous. I made Juneteenth very famous. It’s actually an important event, it’s an important time. But nobody had heard of it,” he said, although his office has previously put out statements marking the occasion.

Historians note that Juneteenth has been celebrated in Black communities across the country for 155 years.

Hayter said that the history of Black people and other minority communities has already “been completely whitewashed and erased" when it is taught in American classrooms.

He pointed to the argument made by some that removing Confederate statues and iconography is tantamount to erasing history.

“So when people say you can’t erase history, it's like, what are you talking about?” he said. “If you crack open a textbook from the mid-20th century, there are no minorities in those textbooks.”



“The contributions they made to the American democratic experience are completely ignored,” he said.

Hayter said those histories have been seen as “a footnote to a larger narrative and not an important and integral portion of the history more largely.”

“As long as we continue to treat these as addendums to a larger American narrative, we’re failing these kids in large part because we’ve reduced these histories to second-class status,” he said.

Hagopian said “Teaching for Black Lives” seeks to uncover some of these really important periods of Black history and give educators access points to teach students about them, including a whole lesson on the Tulsa Race Massacre.

He said another historical period that was glaringly absent from the mainstream curriculum was Reconstruction, the era following the Civil War that sought to address the inequalities of slavery.

“Reconstruction is one of the most fascinating and revolutionary periods in American history,” he said.

Hagopian said it was a remarkable period of time, although short, when the country undertook a conscious effort to tear down institutionally racist structures.

“Black people built the public school system across the South, and there were integrated schools in the 1860s. They were more integrated than today, just incredible examples of Black empowerment,” he said, adding that there were more Black elected officials than at anytime until recently.

“It’s such an important era to examine," Hagopian said. "If we’re going to escape the intense level of racism that we have today, we’re going to need to look at what it looked like when there was a movement toward institutional anti-racism."

It is also important, Hagopian said, to teach students that the civil rights movement went beyond a few famous figures commonly featured in history books or during Black History Month, such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks.

“I think one of the most important things for students to learn about is the way young people have helped shape American history in profound ways and to help understand the contributions especially of Black youth to this nation,” he said.

“They’re so often erased, but when students learn that it was young people who were the leaders of the civil rights movement, they can then see themselves as potential actors to transform the world today."

Yes, a Florida school sent a permission slip to parents for student participation in a Black History Month activity

The situation appears to have stemmed from a misunderstanding of a new rule in Florida's Parental Rights and Education law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2022.

Author: Isabella Casapao, First Coast News (On Your Side)
Published: March 3, 2024

FLORIDA, USA — Florida officials are clearing up some confusion surrounding a viral tweet showing a Miami-Dade County Public Schools permission slip asking parents if their child can participate in reading a book written by an African American.

The confusion appears to have stemmed from a misunderstanding of Flordia's Parental Rights and Education law signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2022.


THE QUESTION
Did a Florida school send a permission slip to parents for a Black History Month activity?

THE SOURCES
Parental Rights and Education law
Florida Department of Education
Code Rule 6A-10.085
Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz
The Poynter Institute

THE ANSWER



THE CLAIM

The parent of a first-grade student at Coral Way K-8 Center in Miami took to social media to ask why he "had" to give permission for his child to participate in a Black History Month school activity, where students would participate and listen to an African American author's book.

Shown in an image taken by the parent, Chuck Walter, the permission slip describes the activity as: "Students will participate & listen to a book written by an African American."

The slip also lists a place for "Types of guests that may attend the activity or event," which states: fireman, doctor and artist.

So let's VERIFY.

WHAT WE FOUND

No Florida law, including the Parental Rights in Education law, requires schools to get parental consent to teach Black history or celebrate Black History Month.

Florida officials are condemning the school's actions in asking for permission for what they say is required material.

"African American history is required instruction, Black History Month is required instruction. There's no permission slip required for required instruction," Florida Education Commissioner Manny Diaz said during a news conference on Feb. 15. "Those permission slips have to do with field trips, extracurricular activities, those kind of activities."

Diaz is referring to the new Code Rule 6A-10.085 of the Parental Rights in Education Bill, which requires schools to get permission from parents before students can participate in field trips, extracurricular activities and other supplemental programs and activities.

The rule does not indicate that Black History or Black History Month must get approval from parents before being taught in a Florida classroom.

A day after the parent's tweet went viral, Diaz made a post on X, formally known as Twitter, saying: "Any school that does that is completely in the wrong."

During the conference, Diaz said: "There was a letter written from the Chairman of the State Board clarifying the issue."

In the letter obtained by First Coast News, State Board of Education Chair Ben Gibson asks the principal of Coral Way K-8 Center to update its school policies to correctly align with Florida law.

"It has come to my attention that your school has a policy that requires parental permission for students to engage in routine curricular activities," Gibson wrote, pointing to the fact the school is the "only school in Florida interpreting the State Board of Education's new rule this way."

"Obviously, it is wrong to interpret the rule to require parental permission for a student to receive ordinary instruction, including on subjects required by state law and Department rule," Gibson adds.

The letter concluded with Gibson asking the school's principal and superintendent to immedietely review the situiation and "take appropriate action."

A spokesperson for Miami-Dade County Public Schools told The Poynter Institute that the permission slips were sent home because the activity involved participation from a guest speaker during a school-authorized education-related activity.

However, the particular, viral permission slip that prompted the response from the board does not indicate guest-related involvement as the main reason for parental consent.

Schools should teach black history like history. Because it is.
During Black History Month, students around the state learn about famous African-Americans, and historical facts about black Americans. 

Nancy Kaffer, Detroit Free Press 

© Don Campbell, AP ReUnna Dawson, 9, center, joins students from

 River of Life Christian School, as they play with scarves and drums

 during an African dance Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2020, at the African 

American History & Literature Gallery in Benton Harbor, Mich. Students 

visited the gallery to learn about African American history as part of 

Black History Month.(Don Campbell/The Herald-Palladium via AP) 

THIS IS A RELIGIOUS CHARTER SCHOOL

But that's not enough.

That's something I'm hearing from parents whose children attend suburban schools, and from parents whose kids attend majority African-American city schools.

Michigan Radio reporter Bryce Huffman, host of the podcast "Same Same Different," is hosting panels around the state to talk about black history, what it means for black kids when it's taught as an elective, a nice-to-have, not a need-to-know. I talked to Huffman about why it's important to do better at teaching black history, for all of us.

Huffman will host a panel this Sunday be at Spread Art in Detroit, at 6 p.m.

Nancy Kaffer: You talk about the "book report” model of black history: Students dress up like important historical figures or share history facts. I haven't done a survey, but that seems be the most popular model for schools to check the Black History Month box.

Bryce Huffman: I went to a Catholic school, and every day in homeroom, we would insert black history facts. As a seventh grader, I loved it, because I'm in this predominantly white school where I don't fit in at all, and it just seemed like oh, wow, everyone in the school is hearing these black history facts. By the time I got to 10th grade, I wondered, "Well, why don't we just talk about these things in our U.S. history class? Why don't we just talk about these things in our English class?"

Then you hear horror stories … like the high school teacher who proposed to show movies like "Boyz n the Hood" as part of an African-American history curriculum.

“We're going to show them 'Boys n the Hood' and 'South Central' and we'll call it a day!”

© DON CAMPBELL, AP Aubree Windmon, 8, right and Taylor Washington

, 9, back, play the drums with students from River of Life Christian School 

during an African dance Wednesday, Feb. 12, 2020, at the African American

 History & Literature Gallery in Benton Harbor, Mich. Students visited the

 gallery to learn about African American history as part of Black History Month.

Don Campbell/The Herald-Palladium via AP

So how should schools should be doing this right?

I think the easiest thing schools can do — I want to phrase it that way, because anytime we talk about changes in education, teachers and educators say, "Great, one more thing on this loaded list of things to do" — is to just acknowledge black people's contributions to the lessons you're teaching. Especially if you're in a predominantly black school, whatever lesson you're teaching, whether it's science, math, history or physics, you should be introducing those students to the idea that people who look like you have already done this, so you can do it, too.

And when we don't do that, leaving African-Americans out of the picture . . .

I got this quote from my friend Ebonee West: When you don't teach black kids that black people have contributed to this country, and you don't teach them that people who look like them have done these great, amazing things, you're sending those kids to the potluck empty-handed. My white friends in seventh and eighth grade never had a question about white people's accomplishments in science and technology. … the analogy of coming to this meal empty-handed is the best way to think about it. You're not coming with a sense of pride and who you and your people are.

In my high school, we covered slavery, and we the economy of the south at the time of the Civil War, but there was never a line drawn between them.

There's not that through-line connecting all of the atrocities of slavery to the civil rights movement, and what leaders were fighting for.

We learned about slavery in my predominantly black elementary school in a really raw way. We learned about how terrible it was. What we didn't necessarily learn was that economic trajectory from slavery. I think we kind of had it in the back of our heads that as black kids growing up in Detroit, we could see things around us and make little connections, but we just didn't have that sophisticated understanding that these things are still going on, and still shaping the future of many African Americans and many white Americans, to be quite frank . . .

I was a kid learning about a lot of this stuff thinking, "Wow, these white people were so mean to Dr. King and Rosa Parks all this long time ago," not realizing that was happening in my parents' lifetime. When we put distance between the atrocities of slavery and our current state, we're telling people, it's not that big a deal anymore. We need to help kids understand just how recent some of these things are, and how ongoing a lot of it is.

You've probably noticed that a lot of times white people feel very awkward talking about race. But it seems like the only way to not be awkward is to talk about it a lot more.

What happens in a lot of schools is they put it off until February, so schools are disrupting the flow that the students already have. They're bringing up this often-painful subject that stirs up a lot of different feelings in black people, and it comes off as this forced attempt to have some sort of conversation about racial reconciliation, or racial healing or whatever it might be. And it never really turns into that, because once March 1 rolls around, those conversations end.

If you had it built in from the beginning . . . well, it might still be a little awkward. But if you just have these conversations from the start, and you treat black history as American history, as just as important as George Washington and Abraham Lincoln, then you you can avoid a lot of that awkwardness later down the road.

Nancy Kaffer is a Free Press columnist. Contact: nkaffer@freepress.com.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Schools should teach black history like history. Because it is.

Black History Month UK: Black children must be able to believe in themselves

Opinion by Akyaaba Addai-Sebo 

Black History Month (BHM) is a celebration of our diversity -- all the colors of the rainbow that sparkle out of the black hole of creation. We share common roots in the dark, tropical wombs of our mothers and our strength lies in the variety within our oneness.

© CNN/Akyaaba Addai-Sebo

BHM pays eternal tribute to this fact of our origins during the splendor of the days following the Fall Equinox, a glorious spectacle of seasonal balance, a harmony we also need in our relations with one another.

October is a period of recognition, reconciliation, renewal and a review of the state of Black Britain.

BHM was created for the younger generation to own and fill with rich and enabling content. It was inspired by six-year old Marcus, whose mother named him after legendary Black nationalist leader Marcus Garvey. She and I worked at the Greater London Council (the capital's main governing body, now replaced by the Greater London Authority), and she came in distraught one day because her son had asked her why he could not be White. She felt that British society and the school system had failed Marcus by making him question his identity at that early age.

Something had to be done to make the Black Child believe in themselves. After weeks of reflection, what stirred in me was the urgency of creating a permanent celebration in the UK of Africa's contribution to world civilization from antiquity to the present, and especially its contribution to the development of London, and the United Kingdom as situated in Europe.

I had lectured about African traditions in the United States, and children and their parents told me it had given them a new sense of self. Despite all its grand institutions of higher education, the UK was still a touchstone for colonialism, imperialism and racism.

I devised a plan with the help of the pioneering team at the GLC's Ethnic Minorities Unit (EMU), ably led by Ansel Wong. We launched the GLC Historical Lectures and Concerts, which took place in February through May 1986 to affirm Africa's contribution to civilization. For a week, we filled the Royal Albert Hall with schoolkids to listen to inspirational music and talks. Speakers toured the communities and generated a buzz.

We helped draw attention to heightened campaigns against systemic racism in the UK and apartheid in South Africa at that time. This work radiated from the EMU to all corners of the UK and across Europe to Africa and the US. Rev. Jesse Jackson, Angela Davis, Winnie Mandela, Marcus Garvey Jr., Sally Mugabe, Graca Machel, John Henrik Clarke, Yosef Ben-Jochannan, Burning Spear, Ray Charles, Max Roach, Hugh Masekela and many more came to London between 1985 and 1988 at the invitation of the GLC to support the anti-racist and anti-apartheid campaigns.

The lectures were compiled into a book and published under the title "Our Story," which I edited with Ansel Wong.

Coincidentally, 1987 was the 150th anniversary of Caribbean emancipation, the centenary of the birth of Marcus Garvey and the 25th anniversary of the Organization of African Unity, an institution dedicated to advancing the progress of African states. The new London Strategic Policy Unit declared it African Jubilee Year, calling on UK authorities to recognize the contributions of Africans to the economic, cultural and political life of the UK, take their duties as enshrined in the 1976 Race Relations Act seriously, be relentless in their support against apartheid and ensure that Black children enjoy positive images of themselves.

The African Jubilee Year declaration gave birth to Black History Month. October was chosen because it was shortly after the UK summer vacation and was the traditional harvest period and time when African leaders gathered to settle differences and appraise the state of the community. The month is now dedicated in the UK to the celebration of the African Story in the creation of our one humanity. The greatest of all teaching is "Man, know thyself" and the national curriculum and the playground must not fail the Black Child. Many hands and brains helped to give birth to Black History Month and we salute them all.

I am pleased to see the communal BHM activities that people independently initiate and the flood of solidarity messages that pour in from government, mayors, corporate leaders, the police, and others. It has long been my desire to see a formal opening ritual broadcast live on the night of September 30.

As British Prime Minister Boris Johnson articulated, Black History is Our History. The confluence of Black Lives Matter and Covid-19 has exposed the fragile underbelly of our humanity, which has to be handled carefully, like the proverbial African egg placed in your palm. The adage is that if you squeeze too hard the egg will crack, and if you let it loose in your grip it will fall and break.

BHM makes demands on authorities to name monuments, parks and buildings after illustrious African leaders, and to ensure that Black children do not lose the fact of their genius. BLM has caused the tearing down of monuments that affirm the Doctrine of Discovery used by colonizing nations to give currency to the trans-Atlantic slave trade and plantation economy. BLM has triggered the removal of statues of Christopher Columbus and Belgium King Leopold, and BHM is demanding the removal of the noose of the French colonial tax. Both are a rallying call.

Ansel and I have been working on preparing the youth for the future development of Africa and people of African descent. We are passing on the baton of social justice and we are happy with the trend towards humanizing society. The abuse of power must be excised from society. Social media has made the world a global village for the youth, making them aware of the mess my generation has caused, from environmental degradation to genocidal wars. The raging fires of California and the roaring tsunamis of Mozambique; earth, wind and fire are now of popular concern. I hope it is within the scope of the younger generation to make this world a better place as they reach out and touch hands.

For Black History to matter, Black Lives must matter. For Black Lives to matter, Black History must matter. To deny a person's history is to deny their humanity and to enslave them. This noose and jackboot of enslavement as represented by lynching and asphyxiation continues to be enacted by people in uniform, and it is revulsion at this humiliation that is at the heart of the Black Lives Matter revolt against systemic racism. These uniforms have come to crystallize the impunity of racism in private and public life, which defiles our common humanity.

Where lies your duty of care? Despite all the armaments of war and display of human arrogance, we remain so fragile, and as such we must remain each other's keepers and celebrate the beauty in each other. For you cannot crush a caterpillar and be astounded by the beauty of a butterfly. Black Lives Matter; so does Black History.

© Courtesy Akyaaba Addai-Sebo Akyaaba Addai-Sebo, pictured in London in 1988, established Black History Month in the UK to help inspire Black children.

© Courtesy Akyaaba Addai-Sebo Addai-Sebo (second right) and Ansel Wong, Principal Race Equality Advisor at the London Strategic Policy Unit (second left) at the London launch of their book "Our Story" in July 1988, with Bernard Wiltshire, Deputy Leader of the Inner London Education Authority (left) and Vitus Evans, Race Relations Advisor at the Association of London Authorities.

Black History Month: Celebrating and Saluting our Scottish Sisters

” … remember that Black history is our collective history and that we are writing the story of tomorrow today with every choice we make. This Black History Month; let’s stand with our sisters and choose a fair and just Scotland without racism” argues Khutso Dunbar.

Black History Month is in full swing with programming and events across the country aimed at bringing attention to the often ignored and sometimes silenced voices of the Black and ethnic minority community. As Scottish society becomes increasingly diverse, this month becomes more meaningful as a time to reflect on how history has impacted the present. While we lament and learn from the past ills of slavery, colonialism and the ongoing racism that plagues our society- we must also respond and recognise the opportunities for a better future. 

Aminatta Forna

This month’s theme is: ‘Celebrating and saluting our sisters’- an opportunity to shed light on the contributions of Women of Colour. In Scotland, we have much to salute and celebrate. We start by paying homage to a lesser-known suffragist Jessie Margaret Soga, born in 1870 to a Black South African father of Xhosa heritage and a White Scottish mother. Soga was one of the key members of the Women’s Freedom League branch in Hillhead, Glasgow and known as Scotland’s only Black/mixed race suffrage campaigner. She was also a singer and music teacher performing as a soloist with the Kelvingrove United Presbyterian Choir at the Coatbridge Corporation Recitals. Soga used her music career to help fund the efforts of the Women’s Social and Political Union, a Women’s rights political group to which she belonged. Women received the right to vote in 1918 and Soga’s activism and contributions in Scotland were noted as significant.

Other figures of note include Aminatta Forna, OBE, a multi-award-winning author born in Bellshill, Scotland to a Scottish Mother and a Sierra Leonian physician father (pictured above). Along with her writing, Forna has also worked as a reporter, produced various documentaries for the BBC and is a founder of a charity to build schools in her father’s home of Sierra Leon. Jacqueline Margaret Kay, CBE, FRSE, FRSL is another celebrated author of Black heritage who was born in Edinburgh to a Nigerian father and Scottish mother and grew up in Bishopbriggs. Jackie Kay as she is widely known; is a poet, playwright and novelist who was Scotland’s Makar (national poet laureate) from 2016 to 2021.

Debora Kayembe

Three of Scotland’s universities have also added to the accolades of Black History by recently appointing Black women as rectors. The University of St Andrews appointed Leyla Hussein, OBE, as their third female rector and first woman of colour in 2020. Along with her rectorship, Hussein is a psychotherapist and social activist who heads multiple non-profits aimed at safeguarding women against violence. This historic appointment was followed by the appointment of Martina Chukwuma-Ezike in 2021 as the first Black woman rector at the University of Aberdeen. Originally from Nigeria, Chukwuma-Ezike is the CEO and founder of Scotland’s only dedicated asthma charity, the Asthma and Allergy Foundation and advocates for better awareness.  In the same year, the University of Edinburgh appointed Debora Kayembe, a human rights lawyer, linguist and political activist, who came to the UK in 2005 as an asylum seeker from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Kayembe is currently a member of the Scottish Socialist Party and the founder of the charity ‘Full Options’ which promotes human rights and peace. In recognition of her contributions to Scottish society, she became the first African to have their portrait erected by the Royal Society of Edinburgh in 2019.

Martina Chukwuma-Ezike

These exceptional women are exactly that, the exception and not the rule in Scotland. Their phenomenal achievements are even more remarkable because they sit against a backdrop of longstanding societal inequalities and racism which pose vexing barriers to achievement for most people of colour. Women of colour are further marginalised by compounding gender discrimination. In Scotland, Ethnic minorities, who make up 4% of Scotland’s population, have the worst rates of poverty in the nation, according to government statistics. While the percentage of White Scots living in poverty stayed the same between 2020 and 2022 at 18%, the disparities experienced by ethnic minorities have grown- with the percentage of Black and Mixed populations living in poverty increasing from 43% to 48% between 2020 and 2022, while the percentage of British Asian/Asian groups increased from 41% to 49% in the same period. Additionally, compared to all other priority groups, such as 28% of homes with a disabled family member and 38% of single-parent households, ethnic minority households had the highest prevalence of child poverty at 39%. Some of these vulnerabilities can occasionally coexist such as in an example of an ethnic minority, disabled, single parent who would face intersecting and compounding disadvantages.

Jackie Kaye

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) found that there is a gender pay gap of 18.4% and an ethnicity pay gap of 10.3% in Scotland. This means that ethnic minority Scots are paid less than White Scots in comparable positions and ethnic minority women are doubly jeopardized. Furthermore, Scotland’s ethnic minority population is much more likely to have qualifications at “degree level or higher,” at 59% compared to 35% of the White Scottish population. Yet, despite these accomplishments, employment outcomes for qualified ethnic minorities are worse, with an employment rate of 73.0% vs 86.5% for the equivalent white population. These disparate labour market conditions combine to produce poor economic outcomes for ethnic minority women in Scotland who already face lower employment rates of 64% for Black female Scots compared to 72% for White female Scots. 

These statistics show that inequality is an unconscionable stain on Scottish society. So, as October rolls on, we give a nod to all the women of colour around us who despite the challenges and injustices of prejudice and discrimination are pushing forward to build a better, more socially just Scotland. We also remember that Black history is our collective history and that we are writing the story of tomorrow today with every choice we make. This Black History Month; let’s stand with our sisters and choose a fair and just Scotland without racism.