The annual commemoration of Black History Month in the UK first began in October 1987 to coincide with the 150th anniversary of Caribbean emancipation from slavery and 25th anniversary of the Organisation of African Unity. This year’s theme focuses on celebrating the invaluable contributions of black women to British society alongside inspiring and empowering future generations. It is an ambitious theme and one deserving broader support in view of the myriad challenges they continue to face across virtually all sections of society:
“Intersectionality…was initially defined as the unique forms of oppression that Black women face. Now, the term has become more mainstream and is conceptualized as the experiences faced by those with intersecting identities. A newer term, misogynoir…was developed to describe “the specific hatred, dislike, distrust, and prejudice directed toward Black women.” [1]
The recent murder of 15 year old Elianne Andam on the way to school, at the hands of another 17 year old black youth, further underlines the contempt towards black women [2] and – before accusatory voices begin to resonate with this observation bemoaning ‘black on black crime’ – it is important to note that state violence towards black women is even more underhand:
“Black Brits have been raising awareness about the disturbing truth behind police violence in the UK long before Sarah Everard, but it took the tragic death of a white woman for us to finally shed light on the institution of policing. Police violence against women has been a long-lived experience and persists today, yet the countless number of stories on Black women brutally injured or killed at the hands of police has neither gained public interest nor the same level of indignation…
Even when we are looking for protection against male violence, we are confronted by racialised gendered violence within the police force.” [3]
Also, we cannot ignore the continuing state violence against black men, like Chris Kaba, who was subjected to the wanton violence of a police officer who shot and killed him at point blank range. The officer has since been charged with Chris’ murder, however, in what appears to be in solidarity with him, 300 of his Met colleagues responded by stepping back from firearm duties, citing concerns surrounding the pressure and circumstances under which they are tasked to execute their jobs. The ensuing crescendo of government and media support is likely to have contributed towards the retraction of their boycott,[4] effectively paving the way for the indicted officer’s defence team, judge and jury in the eventual trial, to acquit him, thereby intimating what is already assumed by a number of communities – the Met Police’s licence to kill.
Decolonising Narratives & Colonial Coffers
At this juncture it is necessary to reflect on the past – much in the way that Black History Month has done since it began; however, the purpose at this point is not so much as to delve into the indisputable oppression of Transatlantic Slavery, the established immorality of eugenics or colonialism. Rather, it is to examine historical and contemporary connections to identify how some of the beneficiaries and indeed, purveyors of such barbarism are now stalwarts to redress these unmistakable wrongs that continue to impact countless communities today.
The vocabulary of decolonisation is not new:
“Fanon’s writing was well received…while he was alive, but it has had a renewed impact in the last decade, particularly from scholars who look to understand the long-term consequences of colonisation and as calls to ‘decolonise’ have become louder.” [5]
The call to decolonise state and corporate institutions – from education to healthcare, banks to places of worship, (i.e. the Church of England etc.) – is gathering momentum. This month should be an opportunity to strategically consolidate such voices into plans of action that facilitate comprehensive changes among societies and communities that have been historically impacted on such unprecedented scales:
“Decolonisation means confronting many of the forces that are driving inequality and insecurity in the world today, both in Britain and abroad.” [6]
One of the entities to emerge and announce their eventual dissolution was Lankelly Chase, a reputable charitable foundation and network involved in collaborative partnerships to actively drive change. Their recent announcement shocked partners and beneficiaries alike while simultaneously gaining support from others for such a bold, transparent endeavour:
“After 60 years of operating as a grant-making foundation, Lankelly Chase has decided to redistribute all its assets and close within a five year timeframe.” [7]
In order to emphasise the tangible scale of their commitment, suffice it to cite the following newspaper excerpt:
“A major UK charitable foundation, with an endowment fortune of £130m, has announced it is to abolish itself after concluding that traditional philanthropy is a “function of colonial capitalism” and that it had itself become part of the problem.
Lankelly Chase, which gives out about £13m a year in grants to hundreds of charities operating in areas such as social, racial and climate justice, said it wanted to find bold new alternatives to what it called philanthropy’s “cult of benevolence”.” [8]
Despite their philanthropy, Lankelly Chase eventually recognised that they were in fact perpetuating the colonial narrative and were therefore part of the problem:
“We have recognised the gravity of the interlocking social, climate and economic global crises we are experiencing today. At the same time, we view the traditional philanthropy model as so entangled with Colonial Capitalism that it inevitably continues the harms of the past into the present.
We acknowledge our role in maintaining this traditional model and know that these times demand bold action from us all in charitable organisations. This is our response.
Over the next five years, we will dismantle and close Lankelly Chase. We will relinquish control of our assets, including the endowment and all resources, so that money can flow freely to those doing life-affirming social justice work. We will make space to reimagine how wealth, capital and social justice can co-exist in the service of all life, now and for future generations.” [9]
Unification or Exodus: Just Us or Justice
Grassroots organisations that have acted as conduits between organisations like Lankelly Chase and local communities are involved in discussions, advising where and how to redirect such assets alongside identifying additional avenues of generational wealth. These are important conversations to have in a period where 3rd and 4th generation black Britons are reviewing options to emigrate from the UK in the future, due to endemic anti-black racism that is threatening their future prospects. New research conducted among more than 10,000 black British citizens between November 2021 and March 2022 revealed the following:
“Almost half of young Black British people plan to leave the country amid wider concerns of societal racism, landmark research launched on the eve of Black History Month has revealed.
…respondents who said they were not proud to be British cited negative factors such as colonialism and historically racist immigration policies as reasons contributing to their responses.” [10]
Despite the above disconcertment, the report also highlighted positive findings and a sense of belonging among a number of participants. This optimism bodes well for Britain’s future if the momentum of change at institutional, as well as corporate echelons of power, continues. However, we should still err on the side of caution for a number of obvious reasons, some of which have been articulated above:
“The United Kingdom is becoming less and less united, says historian David Olusoga – not just along its borders but within each of its four nations. How can the union’s ties be renewed?” [11]
Britain’s structural foundations remain inherently flawed and perhaps the answer to Olusoga’s question can be found in Robin DiAngelo’s summation:
“Imagine a pier stretching out over the water. Viewed from above, the pier appears to simply float there. The top of the pier – the part that we can see – signifies the surface… Yet while the pier seems to float effortlessly, it is, of course, not floating at all; it is propped up by a structure submerged under the water. The pier rests on pillars embedded in the ocean floor.
In the same way that a pier sits on submerged pillars that are not immediately visible, the beliefs supporting our racial claims are hidden from our view. To topple the pier, we need to access and uproot the pillars.” [12]
Decolonisation, dismantling the ‘system’ and rebuilding it on more equitable terms are phrases that alarm sections of our society – from all ethnic backgrounds and cultures. Ethnic fear, fragility and xenophobia are what we, as a society, should be more concerned with. Discourse to redress the imbalances within and across our society – and others still crippled by imperialist hegemonic strategies of the past – must be facilitated. How is it that slave owners received compensation for their freed slaves (commodities) up to 2015 using tax payers money,[13] but slaves and/or their descendants are not entitled to the same, especially in view of the fact that western societies were literally built off their labour?
“The total sum represented 40% of the government’s yearly income in those days, equivalent to some £300bn today.
You might expect this so-called “slave compensation” to have gone to the freed slaves to redress the injustices they suffered. Instead, the money went exclusively to the owners of slaves, who were being compensated for the loss of what had, until then, been considered their property. Not a single shilling of reparation, nor a single word of apology, has ever been granted by the British state to the people it enslaved, or their descendants.
Today, 1835 feels so long ago; so far away. But if you are a British taxpayer, what happened in that quiet room affects you directly. Your taxes were used to pay off the loan, and the payments only ended in 2015. Generations of Britons have been implicated in a legacy of financial support for one of the world’s most egregious crimes against humanity.” [14]
Conclusion: Black to the Future
I recently wrote the following, as a means to articulate and signpost a collective focus acknowledging the past while focusing on the future. Tomorrow is about our children, so it is vital we adequately equip them for it:
“It’s as much about Advancing Initiatives as it is about reparations. The latter is necessary to facilitate the former and the Cen-Triangular Identity Nexus provides a framework to enable this process.” [15]
Finally, there are apparently two reasons why Black History Month is celebrated in October in Britain:
- “October is when African chiefs and leaders gather to settle their differences. So, Akyaaba chose this month to reconnect with African roots
- many thought that, since it was the beginning of the new academic year, October would give Black children a sense of pride and identity.” [16]
The month clearly means different things to different people. At one end of the spectrum, it is a celebratory occasion for Black excellence and achievement while at the other; it is a time for reflection on the pain and suffering of our forefathers. These polarised perspectives are mutually inclusive and indeed, necessary in order not to forget our past, while deriving generational strength and resilience to excel today and in the future.
The irony of selecting this particular month should not go unnoticed either, since it coincides with another annual event; Halloween, when ghouls, witches, demons and elements of the occult are also celebrated. Perhaps both events should coincide on the final day of October for a collective period of reflection on the most egregious acts of brutality the world has ever witnessed: Transatlantic Slavery involving the commodification of other humans.
Thankfully, blackness, which according to some dictionary definitions denotes villainy, evil and death[17] does not form any obvious part of Halloween annual revelries, or else we would be witnessing the type of crimes synonymous with the US antebellum south during the era of Jim Crow segregationist law. Hopefully, there will not be a return to that dark period. Few will have noticed what just occurred in the preceding sentence. Negative connotations associated with particular shades will continue unless there is decolonisation of various societal infrastructures, together with the advancement of equitable opportunities for everyone, regardless of ethnic background.
[1] Gassame Asare, J: ‘Misoygnoir: The Unique Discrimination that Black Women Face,’ Forbes, 22nd September 2020: https://www.forbes.com/sites/janicegassam/2020/09/22/misogynoir-the-unique-discrimination-that-black-women-face/?sh=731ed1ce56ef
[2] Sky News: ‘Elianne Andam: Family pays tribute to girl, 15, stabbed to death on way to school – as Idris Elba calls for tougher punishments,’ Sky News, 29th September 2023: https://news.sky.com/story/eliyanna-andam-girl-15-stabbed-to-death-in-croydon-on-her-way-to-school-named-12971143
[3] Solomon, A: ‘The Overlooked Reality: Police Violence Against Black Women in the UK,’ Migrant Women Press, https://migrantwomenpress.com/the-overlooked-reality-police-violence-against-black-women-in-the-uk/ [accessed 1st October 2023]
[4] Mackintosh, T & Symonds, T: ‘Chris Kaba: Army stood down as Met Police officers return to duty,’ BBC News, 26th September 2023: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-66909729
[5] Sowemimo, A: ‘Divided: Racism, Medicine and Why We Need to Decolonise Healthcare,’ https://amzn.eu/c9JP18t
[6] Koram, K: ‘Uncommon Wealth: Britain and the Aftermath of Empire,’ https://amzn.eu/hNchfu8
[7] https://lankellychase.org.uk/news/lankelly-chase-to-wholly-redistribute-its-assessts-over-the-next-five-years/ [accessed 1st October 2023]
[8] Butler, P: ‘UK charity foundation to abolish itself and give away £130m,’ The Guardian, 11th July 2023: https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/jul/11/uk-charity-foundation-to-abolish-itself-and-give-away-130m
[9] https://lankellychase.org.uk/news/lankelly-chase-to-wholly-redistribute-its-assessts-over-the-next-five-years/
[10] White, N: ‘Almost half of young Black Britons plan to migrate amidst racism concerns, landmark study highlights,’ The Independent, 30th September 2023: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/black-britons-voice-newspaper-study-b2421048.html
[11] Wallis, L: ‘David Olusoga: ‘The UK is less equal than when I was young,’ BBC News, 30th September 2023: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-66923085
[12] DiAngelo, R: ‘White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism,’ Penguin
[14] Manjapra, K: ‘When will Britain face up to its crimes against humanity?’ The Guardian, 29th March 2018: https://www.theguardian.com/news/2018/mar/29/slavery-abolition-compensation-when-will-britain-face-up-to-its-crimes-against-humanity
[15] Cen-Giving: ‘Tackling Colonial Waste As A Global Movement,’ www.cengiving.org
[16] Bracknell Forest Council: ‘Black History Month 2023,’ 29th September 2023: https://www.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/news/2023/09/black-history-month-2023 [accessed 2nd October 2023]
[17] https://www.google.com/search?q=negative+meanings+of+black+dictionary&sca_esv=569916728&source=hp&ei=ehQaZfjMJ5aVhbIP5-q2oAU&iflsig=AO6bgOgAAAAAZRoiioZ_gP_dAbhppHfyQtU69vON_rIX&ved=0ahUKEwj48fGXk9aBAxWWSkEAHWe1DVQQ4dUDCA0&uact=5&oq=negative+meanings+of+black+dictionary&gs_lp=Egdnd3Mtd2l6IiVuZWdhdGl2ZSBtZWFuaW5ncyBvZiBibGFjayBkaWN0aW9uYXJ5SOp-UOkEWLN7cAl4AJABAJgBZaAB5hmqAQQ0My4yuAEDyAEA-AEBqAIKwgIQEAAYAxiPARjlAhjqAhiMA8ICERAuGIAEGLEDGIMBGMcBGNEDwgILEAAYgAQYsQMYgwHCAgsQLhiABBixAxiDAcICCxAuGIoFGLEDGIMBwgILEC4YgwEYsQMYgATCAgsQABiKBRixAxiDAcICCBAuGIAEGLEDwgIIEAAYgAQYsQPCAg0QLhiDARixAxiABBgKwgIKEAAYgAQYsQMYCsICBRAAGIAEwgIFEC4YgATCAgcQABiABBgKwgINEAAYgAQYsQMYgwEYCsICEBAAGIAEGLEDGIMBGEYY-QHCAgYQABgWGB7CAggQABgWGB4YD8ICCBAAGIoFGIYDwgIFECEYoAHCAgQQIRgVwgIIECEYFhgeGB3CAgoQIRgWGB4YDxgd&sclient=gws-wiz
