Read our blog "Does Black History Month still have a purpose?" by our CEO Maurice Mcleod written last month for Black History Month. Though first observed in the United States in the 1970s, Black History Month was first celebrated in the UK in October 1987. Taking place mainly in educational and local council institutions, the idea behind it was to give some exposure to Black historical figures who’s achievements had been previously overlooked by the existing school curriculum, that preferred instead to focus their attention on the achievements of the white English men. So for the last 30 years, for one month of the year (October in the UK, and February in the US) tribute is paid to Black heroes of the past such as Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks, and Nelson Mandela. But in the second decade of the 21st century, is this celebration still relevant? This year saw the murder of George Floyd in the US reignite the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, and fuel street protests around the world. Though BLM started as a campaign to protest the murder of African-American men and women at the hands of the police, it has expanded into a protest about structural racism. Thus, the protests have not just focussed on bringing charges against police officers, but also bringing down statues of Confederate generals in the US, and slave owners in the UK. At the same time, we have seen the campaign to decolonise the curriculum gain momentum. |
