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An excerpt from the parish records of St Mary's Church, Stoke Newington, in 1755
October 2002 welcomes the 15th anniversary of Black History Month
in Britain.
BLACK HISTORY MONTH IN
HACKNEY |
Hackney Museum (020 8356 3500) is staging a
multi-media exhibition entitled 'Black and Asian Londoners, 1536-1840', concentrating on
the lives of more than 1800 Black and Asian people recorded in parish registers between
those dates. It runs until 26 November. Hackney artist Maria Amidu is creating a giant
work of art to coincide with the exhibition on 12 October and 9 November between 1 and 4pm
(free). Also at the Museum Ngozi Fulani is running a series of African and Afro-Caribbean
drama workshops on 10, 17 and 24 October between 5.30 and 7pm. Between 4 October and 4
November Sutton House (01494 755572) is hosting a hands-on family trail portraying the
lives of Black Londoners, Fri/Sat 1-5.30pm, Sun 11.30-5.30pm. Free to all Hackney
residents. The Bethnal Green Museum of Childhood (020 8983 5200) is also running a number
of events, ranging from storytelling to dance and drumming.
The 'University' of the Diaspora is organising a series of lectures at Centerprise (020
7254 9632) in October. On 7 October S I Martin discusses Marcus Garvey, CLR James and the
Pan African movement; on 11 October Richard Hart on slaves who opposed slavery; on 14
October the topic is black people and the Silver Screen; on 18 October Nia Reynolds reads
and ta;lks about her work; and on 28 October S I Marin considers 200 years of Black
presence in civil disobedience. All the events take place between 6.30-9.30pm.
A variety of other events is occurring including the Black Book Fair and Cultural Day on
25 and 26 October at the Round Chapel in Lower Clapton Road, honouring local people from a
range of backgrounds, and the The Miss Black History Month Beauty Pageant on 27 October at
Ocean (020 8533 0111). The latter event will run from 6pm-midnight, admission £25.
Hackney libraries are also taking part. Throughout October all the libraries will display
books and music celebrating the Black contribution to the arts. Specific events include
'Write Minds', featuring live readings and book signings from four of the most exciting,
talented writers around. This takes place on 8 October between 7.30 and 9.30pm at Hackney
Central Library (020 8356 1690). Also at the Central Library a Black Writers Readers Group
begins on 31 October, from 6.30 to 7.30pm. |
It is a time when the rich diversity of black
people and their contributions to British culture and society are celebrated. From its
humble beginnings way back in 1987, when it emerged as part of the African jubilee year
Marcus Garvey celebrations, it has grown into a much anticipated and enjoyable annual
event.
Additionally, BHM is also seen as a way of improving race relations in Britain. It enables
all of all colours to acknowledge and appreciate the contributions made by black
people to the enrichment of British culture and society. Also, like it or not, we are
living in a multiracial and, yes, multicultural society. Therefore, a better understanding
of these cultures can only help eradicate racial prejudice, discrimination and ignorance.
British culture is dynamic not static. Its history bears testimony to that. Therefore,
controversially, what might be deemed part of another culture in our multicultural Britain
today may well form an integral part of a British culture tomorrow. Each snapshot in time
reveals something new in our culture; be it when migration began with the arrival of
Bronze Age migrants from north-west Europe, to the arrival of the Celts descended from
the dwellers of the Russian steppes to the arrival of the Romans, to the large scale
invasions by Angles, Saxons, Jutes, Frisians, people from what is now northern Germany,
southern Denmark and the northern parts of the Netherlands. Then we have the Norse
influence by the Viking invasions and the French influence by the Norman invasion. And we
are only at the year 1066! Is our British way of life static? Thankfully not! Can any one
race claim a monopoly on its culture? Obviously not! Surely, much depends on when that
snapshot is taken. Furthermore, people tend to focus on the arrival in June 1948 of the
four hundred or so people from the Caribbean to the UK on Empire Windrush. However, these
were not the first 'significant' number of black people to emigrate to Britain. Lest we
forget, albeit against their will, of course, between 1555 and 1883 Britain saw an
increase in the number of peoples from Africa as a result of the slave trade.
Why, therefore, the need for BHM? Well, when, for example, the Director of Public
Prosecution, announces during a national radio interview that 'it is my firm belief that
British society is institutionally racist within the Macpherson definition from the
Lawrence inquiry. A great deal has got to be done across the whole spectrum of British
society, so I come to this with the idea that the whole of society has a problem', one
sits up and takes heed. Putting aside the question of how 'people' can be
'institutionally' anything, there is a serious continued on next
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