From left: Thapelo Moloantoa, Tamara Nkrumah, Caroline Kamana, Aneno Savieta, Anna Njie, Roulin Khondoker, Fée Uhssi and Charlton Brown
BLACK History Month kicked off this week with a call to “focus heavily on black history in January, February, March, April – not just October”.
Students were invited to the Town Hall on Monday as part of the Go Africa Festival of Arts, where author Simon Hudson spoke about identity.
He told the Tribune about his memories growing up: “Back in the late 60s and 70s, obviously prejudice and racism was a lot worse, a lot more in-your-face back then.
“Although clearly there’s still prejudice and issues of discrimination, back then you would have adults hanging out their window, and I was five years old, shouting ‘go back to your country’. From that situation you had to try and make sense of who you were,” he said.
Mr Hudson said black people are still exposed to stereotypes and can lack role models.
Simon Hudson
“It’s the Cindy dolls, it’s the Barbie dolls,” he said, adding he would like to see “more black dolls” on the shelves.
A former teacher, Mr Hudson said he was worried to see students “in art classes, [when] they had to do a portrait, and 99 per cent of the black kids, their portrait would be of a white face. So [you have] all the subliminal imagery going through your head. It’s so complicated. And for the younger people, how do you release them from all of those ties?” he asked.
For Mr Hudson, a vital part of battling this “subliminal imagery” is teaching black history to equip young people with the critical framework “to make sense of the socio-economic situation” and the “complex and continuous” currents that form identity.
He added: “Black History Month serves a purpose, but now, as far as it is possible, various councils and organisations up and down the country need to focus heavily on black history in January, February, March, April, not just October.”
GET INVOLVED
JOLLOF rice was served in the Town Hall this week as visitors poured in to listen to talks and see fashion and art from Ghana, Nigeria and South Africa among other countries as part of the Go Africa Festival of Arts this week.
Organiser Anna Njie said she wanted the festival to challenge common misconceptions about the borough.
She hopes “Islington is seen differently, because Islington right now is seen as this white middle class place that nobody can actually penetrate or get into… we’re all different, but we can all contribute to the economy. Just given a chance we can all contribute positively,” she said.
On Wednesday evening, the Festival also hosted Dr Fatou Bensouda of the Gambia High Commission as part of a panel discussion with Islington North MP Jeremy Corbyn.
Tomorrow (Saturday), there is a children’s storytelling event at the Central Library in the morning, as well as a ChainGang cyclists community ride, and a “Windrush performance” tomorrow afternoon in Caledonian Park Amphitheatre.
Other events in a packed schedule include a talk by DJ Daddy Ernie and author Lloyd Bradley on Oct 20 and a Family Kitchen at Hilldrop Community centre where families can learn to cook African and Caribbean food on Oct 11 and 18.
