Every year, during Black History Month, British kids "learn" about MLK, Rosa Parks & Mary Seacole.
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Every year, during Black History Month, British kids "learn" about MLK, Rosa Parks & Mary Seacole.
This year I'm going to my kid's class to talk about Ancient Mali:
Sundiata - from cripple child to empire builder.
Mansa Abu Bakr - the emperor who gave up the throne to discover the Americas, 200 years before Columbus.
Mansa Musa - the richest man in all of history.
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To non-Brits, Black History Month is in October in Britain.
I'm conflicted about the concept, if I'm honest.
1. We're only 3% of the population, Indians/Pakistanis are close to 9%. Why don't we have an Indian History Month. Or is this something that we've just imported, without thought, from America?
2. BHM is an excuse to silo us, to excuse the fact that the curriculum undermines us at every stage.
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Britain is hugely ignorant about Africa, despite the fact that our histories have been intertwined for centuries. In the past this willful ignorance was apparent in the casual racism - thinking Africa is populated by bare-breasted natives who live in huts. These days Britain pretends Africa doesn't exist.
Doctor Who can travel anywhere in space and time. Never goes to Africa.
Race Across The World spends a whole season in one country - Canada. Hasn't been to Africa.
