October is Black History Month (BHM) and while I strongly feel that black history needs to be taught and learnt all year round, I do enjoy the opportunity to focus on it and share what I’m learning. Read on to find out who’s dropping the knowledge on Insta, encouraging our schools to do better and dancing to afro beats in celebration of BHM!
“I am no expert on Black History”
Despite my mixed heritage background, there is a lot of black history that I just do not know about. After all, like many of you reading this post, I too grew up in the British education system that fails to teach children so much of Britain’s colonial past and stories of black heroes that have helped shape and build the society we live in today.
So, in honour of Black History Month I’ve been seeking out sources that share the stories of past and present people and events that make up Britain’s black history.
It starts with education
While hunting for sources I could visit to learn more about Black history, I of course turned to historian, writer and presenter Professor David Olusoga. I bought his book Black and British: A Forgotten History a few years ago and saw he recently released a shorter version for children. He is also the patron of ‘The Black Curriculum’; something I was unfamiliar with.
The Black Curriculum is “a social enterprise founded in 2019 by young people to address the lack of Black British history in the UK Curriculum. We believe that by delivering arts focused Black history programmes, providing teacher training and campaigning through mobilising young people, we can facilitate social change.”
The Black Curriculum website plays host to a wealth of fantastic resources covering black history. Visit their page, theblackcurriculum.com, to find out more and to support their campaign for change.
Black British Books
This year I also read the critically acclaimed Why I’m No Longer talking to White People About Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge, which is full of Black history, amongst other well articulated debates on race, racism, class and sexism. I strongly recommend this book.
In browsing for more Black British books I stumbled across the instagram account blackbritishbooks_, a collection of books “showcasting Black British diversity by discovering old and new, powerful and creative literature.” This page is great for reading inspiration.
Insta knowledge
I love Instagram! Don’t get me wrong, I’m fully aware of the downsides to social media, however there are also a lot of wonderful profiles that share a fantastic amount of Black History. Here are a few of the accounts that I have recently discovered and have enjoyed learning from. Plus, if you’re not on Instagram, many of these accounts have web pages, books and other social sites you can visit instead.
The History Corridor
www.instagram.com/thehistorycorridor
BLM UK
www.instagram.com/blmuk
UK Black History
www.instagram.com/uk_black_history
ukblackhistory.online
100 Great Black Britons
www.instagram.com/100greatblackbritons
www.patrickvernon.org.uk/black-heroes-who-helped-shape-britain-100-great-black-britons-2020
Educators for Justice
www.instagram.com/educatorsforjustice
linktr.ee/educatorsforjustice
The Vantage Point UK
www.instagram.com/thevantagepointuk
Black History Studies
www.instagram.com/blackhistorystudies
linktr.ee/blackhistorystudies
Black British History
www.instagram.com/blackbritishhistory
linktr.ee/blackbritishhistory
Black Media Publications
I absolutely love the work of Black Ballad, a media publication dedicated to representing the voices of black women. Discovering Black Ballad was the first time in my life that I’ve read content that I could really relate to. Visit blackballad.co.uk for articles you won’t see in the mainstream media. Plus, if you want to brush up on your black history, you can find Black Ballad sharing black historical events all year round.
I must also give a shout out to gal-dem.com, which is also a media publication that focuses on telling the stories of women and non-binary people of colour. I love reading gal-dem content and you can also find articles on black history, and much much more.
‘You can’t help but smile’
While searching for places to expand my own black history knowledge I came across something that made me smile. It was the Instagram of Nigel Clarke (Cbeebies presenter) with his children. In celebration of BHM they were dancing to some afro beats and I couldn’t help but smile. Thank you InstaClarkes, you’ve all got some serious moves – I am a very impressed fan!
Photo credit: Screen shot of the Instagram account, The History Corridor.