October is Black History Month in the UK. But obviously Black History should be taught and celebrated every day of every year in history lessons in our schools, in everyday conversation, in stories, in music and song, in any way at all, everywhere in our lives.
The theme this year is Reclaiming Narratives #reclaimingnarrativesbhm : there are many reclaimed narratives here, including the fact that many many Black people were killed by Hitler and the Nazis during the Jewish Holocaust. It’s written by Charmaine Simpson. She’s the Chief Executive and co-founder, with her husband Mark Simpson, of Black History Studies.
Since 2018 the brilliant and fearless Nova Reid has curated and run her life-changing, heart-and-eye opening anti-racism course, Becoming Anti-Racist with Nova Reid which educated mostly-white folk like me about racism, about becoming anti-racist and about so-often-white-erased Black History and Black Narratives. Recently, and very sadly, she decided to let her course go – unless you’re part of an organisational team. If your team genuinely wants to engage consistently with anti-racism work, see here.
Earlier in the year, Nova asked me to do a series of interviews called Student Confessions with graduates of her anti-racism course. They make inspiring reading. But when she decided to let her anti-racism course go she asked if I’d do one last interview, with her. It’s from her heart. You can read it here. Among many things, including how Black people have had to, Understand you – a collective white you – in order to survive racism (when I asked how come she knew us so well and I, to my shame, knew Black people so little). She also said:
I’ve loved reading about the impact of the course through Student Confessions … it’s been profound and I am very proud – but in that time I also realised this chapter has ended for me. I’ve given so much of me, it’s time to move on, give myself the space do something else. Something more generative. I am excited!
So … you can’t sign up for Nova’s anti-racist course now, but you can sign up for Charmaine and Mark Simpson’s Introduction to Black History Studies Course. To begin to better understand the Black Narrative, and Black History. To bring it out from the shadows that we white people have consigned it to.
You could also read any and all of these:
PS: Added at the end of October: if you’d like to support Black-owned-and-run businesses in Black History Month – or at any time – this list of Black-owned-and-run businesses in the US, the UK and the Netherlands might help.
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