‘It is certain, in any case, that ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have.’ (J. Baldwin, 1972, No name in the Street.) This was true then and continues to be true today, not only is this evident due to recent events in America – such as the killings of Breonna Taylor, Ahmed Arbery and George Floyd – where justice is yet to be achieved.
It’s ironic that it took a global pandemic for many to see how deeply ingrained racism is within society and what’s more pressing is how stagnant the teaching around Black History month has continued to be. Black literature, colonialism, liberation, black journals, black artists are hardly incorporated in subjects taught across the curriculum, which is both appalling and frustrating.
However, while there is some acknowledgement of the current ethnocentric curriculum, little has been done to tackle this. Instead, organisations such as The Black Curriculum restructure what is taught during Black History month through teacher training or leading sessions at schools. This social enterprise is so important to ensure young people are equipped with a sense of identity and knowledge, enabling them to see complexities surrounding Black History.
Black History Month has continued to be over simplified particularly in the choice of narrative that is presented, which has contributed to a lack of wider knowledge about historical Black role models. In my experience, Black History Month at school has often fallen flat, dreary assemblies with a stock powerpoint on the typical topics which were more numbing than informative.
To many, Black History Month was always about the activists Martin Luther King, Harriet Tubman and Rosa Parks and rarely ever included the valuable work done by grassroots activists such as Stokley Carmichael, Angela Davis and James Baldwin.
Stokley Carmichael was pivotal in transforming the importance of voting for African Americans, opening political doors for future generations and led the Black Power movement. There is a tendency to exclude Stokley Carmichael from the popular narrative on Civil rights, but his relentless work paved the way for many. Similarly, James Baldwin’s writings captured the complex dichatomes of Black identity in the face of racism, even today his writings are hugely relevant. You cannot talk about Black History without Angela Davis, her unwavering defence of black women, black men, black prisoners even under the weight of political pressure, she continued to work to uphold the safety of black lives.
It took my own research to realise how the struggle for civil rights across America and the United Kingdom was so diverse and intricate, this knowledge empowered me and also inspired me further. While also indicating to me how endemic the issue of racism is and how it indoctrinates both British and American society, it manifests itself in our education, the justice system, housing and the healthcare system. Again, this issue has often not been included in the narrative in Black History Month, leading to a rose tinted view of the effects of racism.
This rose-tinted view on racism is often revealed in conversations about racism and police brutality held in the classroom, showing that some are all too quick to dismiss the difficulty of living as a black person. They often interrupt, saying: ‘times have changed, it can’t be that bad’ and of course, ‘everyone is treated the same, racism isn’t around.’ Not only is this a sign of ignorance but also shows how a lack of education can translate into microaggression.
While there have been numerous inquiries into racism such as the Windrush report (2020), which has not only uncovered unsettling truths about institutional racism within the Home Office, but shows the damaging effects of a hardline on immigration, especially as many of the recommendations made by leading politicians have not been acted upon, reinforcing the view that just acknowledging racism in institutions is enough. The compensation scheme for Windrush residents has been wracked with huge delays, while also not offering legal aid to those affected, the application form has also been recognised by experienced legal professionals as difficult, further indicating the continued hostile environment policy of the Home Office. This is evident in the data released by Gov.uk, showing just 9% (Windrush Compensation scheme data, September 2020) have received their compensation which is shocking, especially when you take into account how long these applications take to be processed by the Home Office. Unfortunately, 5 windrush residents have died without ever receiving their compensation, showing how this is a matter of the strictest urgency.
Police brutality, deaths in custody and false charges continue to be occurring in British and American society. In 2020 alone there have only been 12 days where police did not kill someone. This statistic is HORRIFYING.
In the current, unique circumstances there is more social momentum behind the Black Lives Matter Movement and there are more tools to facilitate social change which is useful but nowhere near enough. While Instagram challenges and twitter threads are efficient at briefly informing users, they often miss the mark, especially when some users are complicit in racism or remain apathetic. Influencers are not immune from this, while some think one generic quote on Black Lives Matter, or using the hashtag in their bio is enough. In no way is this enough, it presents the fight against racism as a trend, as for many black individuals, racism is ongoing and its dehumanising, when individuals superficially condemn racism when it benefits them. While posting infographics on instagram story is the first step in raising awareness, further steps are needed, such as continuing to educate yourself on racism in its many forms, even when it is no longer trending.
It is important to be fully educated about racism and to continue fighting for black lives even when it is no longer trending or on social media feeds. Celebrating Black History Month can be as simple as attending workshops, reading books by Black activists, reflecting on your workplace, collaborating with black speakers and organisations at events. This also includes donating to local social organisations such as Sistah Space, an amazing community-based non-profit initiative which works to bridge the gap in domestic abuse services for African heritage women and girls. Providing a safe space and support for victims of a range of abuse, while also including cultural context, is invaluable as it ensures victims do not slip through the cracks.
In the words of James Baldwin, ‘nothing can be changed until it is faced’ (J. Baldwin, 1972), we must facilitate social change starting with holding those in positions of power responsible, demanding action be taken to save and uphold the safety of Black lives, which must be amplified this October, and this momentum must continue until justice is achieved.