Black Lives Matter & Black History Month

October marks Black History Month in the UK. Bishop Luffa is marking this in a number of ways. This includes a display outside the Bartlett Hall. The theme underpinning the Black History Month is ‘Proud to Be’, and aims to celebrate the achievements of people of colour, and also of young people, regardless of who they are, and where they are.

The ‘Proud to Be’ campaign aims to make Black History Month 2021 personal and unique to individuals, families and communities, focusing on how we’re all making history all the time in our own ways, as well as the contributions and achievements of Black people throughout history. The ‘Proud To Be’ campaign will also focus on encouraging children and young people to share what they are Proud To Be.

It is important that we celebrate the achievements of everyone regardless of the colour of their skin. It is important that we celebrate the unique, God-given characteristics of everyone. Otherwise we are not celebrating life in all its fullness.

Students are being asked to reflect on what they are ‘Proud to Be’, and this will help form a display to mark Black History Month. Alongside this a joint English/History competition has been run, that allows students to explore an issue or individual of their choice, relating to the issues underpinning Black History Month.

Clearly Black British history is not something which should be restricted to just one month each year, and the School continues to reflect on how it can continue moving forward on this issue. However, Black History Month 2021 offers a great opportunity to reflect and explore the achievements of many people, often in the face of adversity.

These two websites are ideal resources for everyone:

• https://www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk/

• Black History Month - CBBC - BBC

Other resources include:

• The main Black History Month website is a hub of current information about BHM 2021, including a directory of events (many of them online)

• The Black Cultural Archives aim to record, preserve and celebrate the history of people of African descent in Britain. It includes easy-to-use themed collections.

• There are a growing number of web resources about individuals who have played a significant part in British history. Examples include the Five Black Heroes of the Abolition Movement in Britain and 100 Great Black Britons websites.

• The National Archives has a dedicated section on Black British history, as well as an excellent guide on how to conduct your own research.

As a school we have also been looking at Black Lives Matter and racism, with a group of students regularly meeting with the Head Teacher to discuss these issues.

Pastor Bruno Kondabeka and Andy Morgan, who are members of our Clergy Team, talked about racial injustice and prejudice in this discussion on YouTube ‘An interview with Bruno Kondabeka’

John Amaechi is a psychologist, a New York Times best-selling author and a former NBA basketball player. In the wake of the George Floyd killing and the Black Lives Matter protests, and at a time when many people want to learn how they can be better allies for black people, BBC Bitesize asked John what it means to be anti-racist. ‘Non-racist or Anti-racist?’

Alex Holmes is a leading anti-bullying campaigner, Founder of Anti-Bullying Ambassadors and Deputy CEO of The Diana Award. Here, he tells us about how he overcame racist bullying at school and shares his advice for dealing with it if it happens to you or if you see it happening to someone else. ‘Racist bullying’