Why Black History Matters

Child being pursued during the Haitian Revolution

As October is Black History Month/African Heritage Month in the UK, I have been posting lots of Black history events on Nurture Success Events – even more than usual.

Of course, many of us know that every month is Black History Month.   BHM in the UK was started in the 1980s as an opportunity to acknowledge the contributions of African people.  It was never intended to be the only Black History Month – just the one observed by local authorities and other statutory bodies.

Tony Warner of London Black History Walks runs events all year long, not just in October. So do Black History Studies.

I attended “What Were Black People Doing in WW1” on Saturday – an excellent presentation.  I have seen it at least three times now, and I always learn something new. Brother Tony breaks down the whole context of how Africa and its people got involved in the two World Wars.

So why does Black history matter?   For one thing, in order to know who we really are, we need to know our history.  We need historical context to understand the events of today, and to understand why Africa and African people are in the position we are in.  For example, check out my recent blog about how people are recovering from the Rwandan genocide. To understand how and why the genocide happened, we need the historical context.

That's just one of many, many examples I can give. 

In order to subdue and control our ancestors, the enslavers did everything they could to steal their cultural identity.

 

When we understand how Black people were robbed of our dignity for many generations, we can begin to see why we behave in ways that are so self-destructive. And these behaviours will continue until we undergo a profound healing process. And of course, that's what my work is all about.

You may also be interested in my recent blogs about the First World War.  More about this soon.

There are loads more Black history posts on this blog, so feel free to explore. 

Organisations such as Black History Studies and London Black History Walks are making a  crucial contribution to us as a people and this needs to be acknowledged more.  Enjoy Black History Month and please share this blog with your networks. Please leave your comments below.

The Black Market - Economic Empowerment

This was the second Black Market event in London hosted by Black History Studies.  I attended the first one a few months ago, and it was very positive.  The second one include a film festival.  

It's all about economic empowerment.  

We can all learn from this.  This is just an example of what is possible for our Black-owned businesses. 

Plus click here for the Strong Black Business Community. 

Sweet Crude - The Niger Delta

Sweet Crude - the Niger Delta

Black History Studies recently screened the documentary "Sweet Crude", about the Niger Delta. 

I am going to say up front that I was upset by this film, although I was aware of the situation in the Niger Delta, having seen a film produced by the BBC a few years ago which covered much of the same ground.  

It is vitally important that Black History Studies continue to screen these kinds of films and provide us with the information we need about the experience of African people all over the world.  

It is equally important that we remember we can transform the situation.  More about this later. 

Oil was discovered in the Niger Delta in 1956.  Once international oil giants Shell and Chevron moved in, they devastated the region, with the complicity of successive Nigerian military regimes.  For more about modern Nigerian history, see Naij:  A Film History of Nigeria.  

The natural life expectancy in the Niger Delta is in the sixties; today, the life expectancy is 40.  Forty.  Four-zero.  

During the enslavement period, the Niger Delta was known as the "slave coast".  Many thousands of people were taken down the river in chains, to be sold in the West. 

There is a long history of resistance in the region.  

Today, because of the constant illegal burning of natural gas released by the oil drilling, toxic chemicals are released which pollute the air and the water and destroy the wildlife.  The rain that falls in the Niger Delta is toxic enough to destroy metal roofs.  

There are few, if any, schools in the Niger Delta. The Nigerian government and the oil companies want to drive the locals off their ancestral lands.  

You can view the trailer below. 

One of the most disturbing episodes covered by Sweet Crude was when Director Sandy Cioffi, having cultivated a relationship with MEND (The Movement to Emancipate the Niger Delta), arranged for a member of MEND to be interviewed on Nightline.  

MEND wanted the international media to cover the situation.  A member of MEND courageously agreed to be interviewed on camera, but the interviewer repeatedly asked him if he was a terrorist and if M\END were holding hostages.  When the MEND member answered "no", the interviewer  appeared bored and looked at his watch, and when the MEND spokesman began to explain the situation, the interview was terminated.  

The subject was broadcast with a screaming headline about "Africa's New Terror Crisis" and references to a threatened increase to the price of oil for Americans. 

Although we know the media often manipulate stories, and manipulate us, it was still shocking to watch this.  

The Joint Task Force (JTF), a branch of the Nigerian military, maintain a presence in the region with brutal violence.  The U.S. government under George W. Bush agreed to supply intelligence about activists in the region to the Nigerian government.  Thus, in a way, we are all complicit in this scenario.  

The author and activist Ken Saro-Wiwa was imprisoned and killed because of his involvement in the Niger Delta protests. 

Sweet Crude is heartbreaking.  As I said above, it is vital that we remember that we can transform the situation.  We have amazing energy inside of us and we can use it to transform situations like these.   For more about this, see Your Inner Wisdom. 

Thank you once again to Black History Studies for screening Sweet Crude.  

For more information and to buy a copy on DVD, visit Sweet Crude. 

African People Liberated Themselves

The recent presentation from Black History Studies entitled "Slavery Is Not Our History" detailed many of the ways in which enslaved African people liberated themselves and fought against kidnapping, genocide and mass enslavement in Africa, on board the slave ships, on many Caribbean islands, and in South America and the United States. 

My sister, who grew up in the 1940s and '50s, tells me that, when she was growing up, people would say to her that slavery could not have been that bad, because there were no slave revolts.  The schools taught that slaves were happy on the plantations.  The only slave revolt she was told about was that led by Nat Turner. 

Fortunately, our mother taught us from an early age about those who fought for liberation, including Harriet Tubman, Sojourner Truth, Frederick Douglass, Toussaint L'Ouverture and more.  

For more about this presentation, click here for Black History Facts.  As usual, this was a fascinating presentation, packed with loads of information. 

For more about the "Slavery Is Not Our History" presentation, see:  Why Focus on History?  

You may also be interested in  African People's Self-Liberation.  

Click here for the next Black history events from Black History Studies and more. 

Why Focus on History?

It was lovely to see several young people at the Black History Studies event the other night, "Slavery Is Not Our History".   More about this event soon. 

One young man asked the important question (and I am paraphrasing):  given the pressures on young people today, what is the point of focusing on history? 

As you can imagine, there was a lot to say about this. 

Mark Simpson of BHS referred to Sankofa:  in order to move forwards, you have to look backwards.  In order to know where we are going, we need to know where we have been. 

Charmaine Simpson, also of BHS, pointed out that many of the issues we face today originated in the enslavement of our ancestors.

I talked about the importance of identity.  Without knowledge of our history and of who we are, it is easy for us to become confused.  

Click here for more Black history events.  

Click here for even more Black history events, with Black History Studies and London Black History Walks. These events are held year-round. 

It is vital that you share this information with young people and parents. 

And always, always Remember Your Greatness.  

Black History: Ebony Goddess and Black Fighter Pilots of World War 2

October is Black History Month in the UK, and I am listing some BHM events on Nurture Success.  

Click here for Next Black History Events.  They include Ebony Goddess and Black Fighter Pilots of World War, two  presentations by London Black History Walks.  These presentations are held every month of the year, not just in October.  

Click here for my review of Black Heroes of WWII, a previous presentation by London Black History Walks.  

Black History Studies is also holding a season of Black history events this month - and every month - including, on Monday 8th October, a screening of the film More than a Month.  

For more details, see Next Black History Events.  

And always, always Remember Your Greatness. 

$50,000 in Three Days

Marcus Garvey

I saw a documentary entitled "The Promised Ship" last night, screened by Black History Studies.  Did you know that Marcus Garvey raised $50,000 for the Black Star Line in three days?  This was from poor banana-growing communities in Costa Rica in the early 1920s.  

Check out the video below for more info.  

What does this tell us about the potential of Black-owned businesses today?  Remember, Garvey did this without the internet, without mobile phones, without any of the modern methods of mass communication that we have available.  

Black businesses potentially have enormous economic clout.  I have been talking about this on the radio and we will continue to talk about this.  See also:  Black Businesses:  Our Economic Clout. 

Stay tuned for Part 2 on the subject of our economic clout.  

Women in Caribbean History

This informative and inspirational presentation tells the story of the hidden contribution of women to the development of Caribbean.

The invisibility of women in the early books on the history of the Caribbean is linked to the fact that some historians felt that women's issues did not merit inclusion and their contributions were ignored.

It is important to recognise that the study of Black Women's History makes for a much more inclusive, richer, fuller and more importantly, truthful account of World History.

Click here for details of this and more forthcoming Black history events with Black History Studies and Black History Walks, plus reviews of previous events.