different adult learners
Black History Month
Ama Dixon - NIACE's Senior Project Officer for Race Equality - discusses the importance of October's Black History Month and highlights how informal learning is as much a part of adult learning as gaining qualifications.
In the late 1970's, my mother, a 'Pan-Africanist' of sorts, left the U.K with her three young children on a one way trip home. After 2 decades in England she longed to be with her own people because at that time racism in England was rife and according to Mum the weather was worse. Having been raised in the Caribbean island of Barbados with my mother the Black revolutionary, the idea of one month to celebrate Black History is foreign to me. In Barbados we made Black History everyday, and I suppose in a way took it for granted.
In Barbados we made Black History everyday, and I suppose in a way took it for granted
When I returned to England in 1997, I was disappointed by the seasonal celebration and by the fact that people, even Black people, knew so little about Black History. Moreover in the twenty odd years since my family migrated, racism had moved from the streets and taken up residency in U.K institutions. What a sharp learning curve for me! Here the word Black covers a variety of ethnicities, depending on who you ask, however the 'Black' in Black History Month (BHM) specifically refers to those people with (Negroe) African ancestors including those with dual or multi ancestral links.
Twelve years later, steeped in British-ness and carrying the burden of being a 'minority' I have a new appreciation for Black History month, as I now understand the need to take time out to celebrate important people and events in the history of the African Diaspora. It is a time of reflection for many Black people and an opportunity for us to share our rich and diverse but far too often hidden history, culture and heritage.
In the U.K there has been a concentration on positive contributions to British Society and a showcase of African and Caribbean traditions and customs. You would think after 300 years of having a Black presence in the U.K that the many and varied contributions to this and other Western societies would be well documented, but there has been a concentrated effort to conceal and belittle Blackness in the annals of history. Apart from a strong resistance to discussing the shared history between England and Africa, which includes slavery, not much is said of Queen Philippa, the Black wife of King Edward the 3rd or of Olaudah Equiano, the first political leader of Britain's black community or the brilliant Walter Tull who played for Tottenham Hot-Spurs in the early 1900's. In fact it is through BHM that much of this history has recently been recognised.
Hence the need to set aside specific time to 'big up' the Black in the Union Jack; to learn about a people who have contributed more than spice and colour and continue to make their mark in the form of modern day heroes like Benjamin Zephinia and Trevor McDonald and the countless unsung heroes - our brothers, sisters, friends neighbours and children.
During this time there are plenty of opportunities to learn about, taste and enjoy Black culture through a series of edutainment events across the country. The experience will give you the licence to challenge the prevalent negative stereotypes perpetuated by the media and the less intelligent on our streets, in our homes, at work, in the class rooms, in the board rooms etc. It is your responsibility to understand who we are, where we come from and why we are here. I urge you all to get involved.
