Black history month 2017 is upon us here in UK, this falls in October as opposed to Black History Month in USA which takes place in February. I generally cringe when this time of the year comes around. Not because I don't like the month, but because I love the month. The month is very revealing of current attitudes within society that ironically reinforce the continued importance of Black History Month.
October is a month of negative attitudes and bigoted comments that always surface during this time which always make me cringe and shows clearly why we certainly do still need to celebrate black history month. Carter G Woodson and Akyaaba Addai-Sebo reasons for starting Black History Month in their former formats are as relevant now as they where back in 1926 and 1987 when they started.
Historian Carter G Woodson was the creator of USA Negro History Week in 1926, himself a son of former slaves, a poor autodidact who went on to become a head teacher, political activist, Author, African American Historian amongst many other intellectual titles.
As noted in Wikipedia:-
Woodson noted that African-American contributions "were overlooked, ignored, and even suppressed by the writers of history textbooks and the teachers who use them."[16] Race prejudice, he concluded, "is merely the logical result of tradition, the inevitable outcome of thorough instruction to the effect that the Negro has never contributed anything to the progress of mankind."[16]
In 1926, Woodson pioneered the celebration of "Negro History Week",[17] designated for the second week in February, to coincide with marking the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.[18] However, it was the Black United Students and Black educators at Kent State University that founded Black History Month, on February 1, 1970.[19] Six years later Black History Month was being celebrated all across the country in educational institutions, centers of Black culture and community centers, both great and small, when President Gerald Ford recognized Black History Month, during the celebration of the United States Bicentennial. He urged Americans to "seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history."[20]
It was not until 1987 that Black History Month was first celebrated in London, United Kingdom. It was organized through the leadership of Ghanaian analyst Akyaaba Addai-Sebo, who had served as a coordinator of special projects for the Greater London Council (GLC) he created a collaboration to get it underway.
The inspiration for this came from his recognition of the failure within society of
such which made a child question his identity as an African or being black within UK society. The full fascinating interview and story can be found here (akyaaba addai sebo interview)
such which made a child question his identity as an African or being black within UK society. The full fascinating interview and story can be found here (akyaaba addai sebo interview)
Black History month being in October has a few significant meanings:-
Addai-Sebo states in his interview:-
We decided on October as the month to celebrate black history because apart from its significance within the African calendar - the period of the autumn equinox in Africa - October is consecrated as the harvest period, the period of plenty, and the period of the Yam Festivals. It was the time in history when Africa, Egypt and Ethiopia for example were the cradle and breadbasket of civilisation. October is also a period of tolerance and reconciliation in Africa, when the chiefs and leaders would gather to settle all differences. This was also the time to examine one's life in relation to the collective and to see if the targets set for oneself and the group during the past year had been achieved or not. You know that Africa gave the world the calendar. Our ancestors built the Pyramids, knowing about mathematics, architecture and astronomy. October was therefore chosen because of these factors. Black history Month is a reconnection with our source.
This October we will see many lists of great black pioneers and influencers the most common that make the list are Nelson Mandela, Mary Seacole, Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, Marcus Garvey.
I want to give my top 10 celebrated heroes an airing too, so here is my list of my great Black British Influences;-
Lionel Ngakane - Born in Pretoria he created a film against a background media narrative suggesting ever-worsening racial tensions, Jemima + Johnny offered a refreshingly optimistic take on black/white relations in a post-riots Notting Hill. Jemima + Johnny won its director an award at the 1966 Venice Film Festival, the first black British film to be so honoured. The Film can be watched here in its entirety here
Ambrose Adekoya Campbell - Born in Lagos Nigeria, is credited with forming Britain's first ever black band, the West African Rhythm Brothers, in the 1940s. One of his last interviews was conducted by Nigel Williamson of Guardian in 2006, 6 months before Campbell's death. You can read his fascinating story here
Pastor G. Daniel Ekarte - Born in Nigeria opened orphanages for the rejected mixed race children or the then term of 'mongrels' resulting from the American GI and white women of Liverpool during the first world war, you can read more about his amazing work here
Francis Williams - Born in 1702 in Jamaica, William’s successes in mathematics and verse earned him recognition amongst his supporters. At the same time, there were deep prejudices held against him, against the colour of his skin, that would prevent him from taking up his deserved place in science and society. Read more here
Cyril Lionel Robert James (C.L.R.JAMES) - Born in 1901 James was a Historian, Socialist, Journalist. His works are influential in various theoretical, social, and historiographical contexts.. You can find out more about him here
Stuart Hall - Born in 1932 Hall was a Jamaican-born Marxist cultural theorist, political activist and sociologist who lived and worked in the United Kingdom from 1951. You can watch the BBC video of Stuart Hall in his own words here
Dame Shirley Bassey - Born in 1937 Dame Shirley Bassey had a turbulent start to life (find out more here) her rags to riches fame is well deserved, she is multi award winning and generous philanthropist. (find some of her charity work here)
Margaret Busby OBE - Born 1944 Busby is a writer and editor who was also the UK's youngest and first black woman publisher when she co-founded Allison and Busby (find out more about her here)
Dr John Alcindor - Born 1873 Alcindor attended medical school in Edinburgh, graduating with first-class honours in 1899. He worked in many hospitals and in 1907 established his own practice in Paddington, one of the first black general practices in the UK. He was instrumental in the formation of the Pan African Congress (Find out more here)
Mary Prince - Born 1788 The first known British Black Woman to recount her narrative of slavery, Prince was recognised as a national hero of Bermuda, her narrative had a galvanizing effect on the anti slavery movement (learn more here)
Finally as a bonus and a tribute to the late James Berry, a pioneer poet from the Windrush generation, who sadly passed away June 2017. (see more about him here)
More to follow throughout October....
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