Black History Month 2011
Did you know that Elijah McCoy was a famous Black inventor whose inventions were always associated with quality, hence the term ‘the real McCoy’? Or that the oldest fossil record evidence of African presence in Europe was found in Ipswich and dates back to the Medieval period 1190 – 1300? Or that Black History Month started in North America in February 1926 as Negro History Week? Around the UK individuals and groups are celebrating Black History Month this October, in their learning environments, communities, homes, workplaces and in the media.
One of Black History Month’s main aims is to showcase the historical and contemporary accomplishments of Black people in the UK and internationally. But while we celebrate the rich and intriguing history of Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) people, it is also important that we talk about BME adult learners, which are often a marginalised group. NIACE’s 2011 participation survey – Tough Times for Adult Learners – shows that although black and minority ethnic adults (48%) are significantly more likely than white adults (38%) to have participated in learning during the past three years, minority ethnic participation dropped by 6 % since 2010, compared to a drop of just 3% for white Britons.
These figures make it clear that even though we’ve come a long way in this area, there is still a lot of work to be done by policy makers and organisations like NIACE, to help provide all kinds of learning opportunities to the most marginalised groups of adult learners.
We know that learning enhances individuals’ well-being. It also builds their confidence and equips them with the skills to pursue economic opportunities. There is plenty of evidence to show that access to learning can lead to better life chances for all adults, not least those from marginalised groups. The story of one particular Adult Learners’ Week award winner is a perfect example of this:
Valentine Nkoyo, aged 27, from York, fought for education all of her life, but her determination to succeed led to her studying for a degree in Business Studies and getting involved in a project to support her former primary school in Kenya. Valentine said:
“Education is something that never ends. Bringing it to others is my greatest satisfaction.”
If you know Black adults who have inspirational learning stories to celebrate or if you want to host learning events during Black History Month, why not visit the Black History Month website to see how you can get involved? There are many other ways to get involved too and you can find out about what’s happening near you through the BBC News website. And if you fancy exploring four decades of the most important events in Black history from music, TV, politics, sport, fashion and more, visit BBC Radio 1.
