Review of Black History Walks in London Volume 1 by Tony Warner

If you think you know Black history, you may need to have a re-think. There is always more for us to learn.  Brother Tony Warner’s talks are always jam-packed full of information, and he updates them so that each time he gives any given  presentation, it’s never the same.  Like his talks, this book is loaded with information and fascinating facts.  

I have attended these talks for many years and I was very excited to learn that Black History Walks in London Volume I had been published. Holding it is like holding history in my hand. This is a very strong experience. 

If you are a parent, a teacher or educator, a Black history buff or just someone who wants to increase your knowledge about Black history, you need this book. And Brother Tony’s work makes it clear that Black history is world history.

Go here to buy it on Amazon.co.uk

Go here to buy it on Amazon.com

 

If you buy it from one of these links, I will gain a small commission.

In addition to the many Black history talks by Brother Tony Warner which I have attended   over the years, I have also attended many of the African Odysseys films he helps to curate at London’s Southbank Centre. I have thoroughly enjoyed loads of them, although some were very challenging because of the subject matter.

Brother Tony's presentations are always packed full of useful and intriguing factual information.  He is making Black history accessible to us through his detailed research and his presentations, which are always very engaging.  His work, although London-based, gives a global perspective on Black history.

Go here for my recent conversation with Brother Tony Warner.

Like his talks, Black History Walks in London Volume I very much reflects Brother Tony’s ongoing commitment to seeking out, researching and sharing detailed Black history information. In other words, he is a griot.

Brother Tony’s work deals with slavery, pre-slavery and post-slavery issues in Africa, the Caribbean, and all of the Americas, as well as London, Britain and Europe.

Of particular interest is his section on the Second World War, which he covers from several angles. Again, it contains loads of useful and fascinating factual information.

For example, did you know that.during the Second World War, German submarines targeted the waters around the Caribbean?   Or that Trinidad was home to the largest oil refinery in the British Empire? 

Or that, during the First World War, Black troops from the Caribbean were put into cold accommodation and made to stack boxes, while German POWs - the enemy - were housed in heated rooms?  

Or that, in 1919, Black troops in Washington, D.C. fought against mobs of racist white sailors who were attacking Black people?  

If you want to know more, buy the book today. It will also make a great present for the holidays or anytime. As we know, every month is Black History Month. Bring your copy along to the next Black history walk or talk and get it signed by the author (he has already signed mine).  

Go here to buy it on Amazon.co.uk

Go here to buy it on Amazon.com

Go here for my blog post about Black soldiers in the First World War. 

Go here for lots more Black history blog posts.  

What interests you the most about Black history? Please comment below and please share this blog post with your networks. Thanks for your help.  

Remembering the Somme

African American soldiers in WWI

Today marks the centenary of the first day of the Battle of the Somme. Growing up in the States, I didn’t know much about the First World War. I had never heard the names of the great battles such as Verdun, Gallipoli, Passchendaele and, of course, The Somme. I learned a lot of detailed information when I moved to the UK.

This information was not taught when I was in school in the States, probably because we did not enter the war until 1917. So we missed out on The Somme, although our men experienced the final two years of the conflict.

Black nurses at Camp Grant WWI

World War I is remembered for the senseless slaughter of the combatants. The battle of The Somme went on for 141 days and saw the deaths of a million soldiers on all sides of the conflict. Young men were sent to their deaths by generals who either were incompetent or just did not care about the lives being squandered – or possibly both.

World War I was a new kind of war, relying on trench warfare and heavy artillery. The doctors and nurses who treated the wounded saw types of wounds they had never witnessed before. And the killing was on a scale that had never occurred before.

It is important that we remember The Somme and the men and women who gave their lives during the war. Many of them came from Africa, the Caribbean and India.

I was not aware of the horrendous conditions in which Black soldiers who served in the British Army lived. For example, in France, the African Caribbean soldiers in the British Army slept in unheated tents, while captured German enemy soldiers were given heated accommodation in barracks. For more about this, see Black People in the First World War. Many men joined up in the naive belief that serving in the army, and "proving themselves" would lead to them experiencing less racism and racial discrimination at home.  

World War One was meant to be the war to end wars, but if we look at the conflicts in places such as Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan and northern Nigeria today, it is clear that war is still alive and well.

Much of the fighting took place on the African continent, and some of the conflicts taking place in Africa over the past two decades have their origins in the First World War. So is much of the poverty and deprivation still being suffered by people in Africa today. For more about this, see Black People in the First World War.

I was aware that the First World War ushered in a period of great change for many African Americans. Many of the men who had served in the war and experienced being treated as equals – for example, being allowed to sit and drink in cafés in France, something we all take for granted today – returned home to the States expecting and demanding equal treatment. This was one factor that contributed to the epidemic of lynchings in the South that began in 1919 and, of course, led to many African Americans migrating North. So the First World War had a huge impact on the lives of Black people all over the world.

I have a lifelong commitment to nonviolence. We must end violence and put an end to these conflicts that are still destroying the lives of millions today. 

The images above were taken from World War I and the African American experience.   

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.

World War One: The Crucial Battle for Togo

Map of colonised Africa 1914

I watched this very interesting short film on the BBC today. 

The wireless station at Kamina in Togo, West Africa, was a crucial centre for German communications.  Built by a huge workforce of African men and women during the German occupation, the station allowed the German colonisers to communicate with their home country and with Asia.

This is just one of many examples of how African labour, land and resources were exploited by European colonisers during the war. 

See also:  Black People in the First World War. 

Black People in the First World War

Black Soldiers in WWI

As we mark the centenary of the start of the First World War, we need to recall the contribution of Black - African, African Caribbean and African American - people to the Allied war effort, and the tremendous sacrifices they made.  

Perhaps more importantly, we need to recall the devastation the war caused to the African continent. This is often overlooked.  

Listen below for more information.   

Black Soldier in the Kaiser's Army

I got some of the information contained in this blog from London Black History Walks.  Some came from other sources.  

We need to remember that it's up to us to end violence.  In this day and age, many conflicts are breaking out all over the world.  It's not up to him, her or them to end violence.  It's up to you and me. It's up to us.  

Violence does not, and cannot, end violence.  This is a lesson we still have not learned.  

Listen below for more.   

Click here for my blog on Why I Am Committed to Nonviolence.

Click here for the Blogging Carnival for Nonviolence.  

I wrote about Nonviolent Communication, NVC, in Success Strategies for Black People and in my new ebook, Affirmations for Parents.  

Please share this blog post with your networks, and help spread the message of nonviolence.  Thank you. 

Check Out Books Podcasts at Blog Talk Radio with Zhana21 on BlogTalkRadio

Not Forgotten - Soldiers of Empire

While on the subject of Ian Hislop, I very much enjoyed his Not Forgotten series which was shown on Channel 4 several years ago, in which he investigated different people who had served during the First World War.

He has since made additional programmes, which are now being aired. On Monday night, I watched the episode about Empire troops, i.e. those from African and Caribbean countries, India, Canada, Australia and New Zealand. It was made to the same high standard as the earlier series.

Empire troops are often mentioned only as a footnote to the main event, but Hislop’s programme showed footage of Black troops on the front line, while he interviewed the grandchildren of one Caribbean man who had served on the Western Front.

I had previously seen the story of the Black men from the Caribbean who sailed on a ship via the North Pole but were not given winter uniforms. Many of them had their limbs amputated due to frostbite.

Those troops who arrived fit to serve were not allowed to fight, or even carry arms. They were put to doing heavy manual labour such as moving large amounts of ammunition, and were under fire from the enemy but were not given the means to defend themselves. Seeing the footage is always a strong experience.

Another excellent programme, well worth watching.

I also recently attended a screening of “A Small Island”, a BBC programme based on the novel by Andrea Levy, at the Imperial War Museum. I shall blog about this soon.

On Sunday 15th November, Tony Warner of Black History Walks will be doing a presentation on How Black People Won World War II. Come along if you can - I'm sure it will be both educational and entertaining. Click here for more details.

It is so important for us to have a sense of our own history and cultural heritage, and our contribution to world history. This is an essential part of having high self-esteem and confidence. For more about this, see The Key to Confidence. See also, Success Strategies for Black People.

Remembrance Sunday

Here in the UK, it was Remembrance Day on Sunday. Veterans’ Day in the States?

I was watching The Wright Stuff last week Friday. Well, I don’t actually watch it as my eyes are on the computer screen, which means my back is to the TV. But it was on. They were talking about whether or not to wear a poppy in the days coming up to Remembrance Sunday. Somebody made reference to ‘poppy fascism’.

Being from the States, I did not grow up with poppies, and I don’t wear one now. I certainly don’t need to wear one to remember the honoured dead.

My Dad was in the war. Obviously, he didn’t die, or I would not be here. But he and his comrades risked their lives so that we could have a better world. To me, those men are heroes.

I note Ian Hislop’s excellent series, “Not Forgotten”, about the people listed on First World War memorials, is being given another airing on Channel 4. One of the many things I enjoyed about the series was the fact that he devoted an entire programme to those from the Empire who served in the British forces. Those whose experience and sacrifice are usually consigned to one sentence – something like, ‘And many people from the empire joined up to serve King and country’.

I do recall one programme some years ago – also on Channel 4 – about soldiers from the Caribbean who were recruited into the British Army during the First World War. The ship that took them to France sailed via the North Pole, but the Caribbean soldiers were not issued with the winter uniforms that were on board. Many of the men suffered frostbite and had to have limbs amputated.

So much for serving King and country.

The Black soldiers were not issued with rifles. I don’t know whether the white people thought they were too stupid to use them, or were afraid of finding themselves at the business end of them.

That programme went on to say that German prisoners were kept in heated barracks, whilst the Caribbean soldiers, from the tropics, shivered in unheated quarters.

So I feel somewhat ambivalent when I see a Black person sporting a poppy. I want all of those who served their countries to be remembered, along with their suffering and sacrifices.