Black History Month

[PonDeReplay]

October is Black History Month in the UK. Happy BHM to all! It feels like it’s really needed this year. Please share your thoughts about it, as well as good (or bad!) examples of BHM in this thread.

I actually like the month to read more books and learn more about Black people who have contributed to the world. Im finally about to buy David Olusoga's book.

What I dont like is the pressure at work to contribute to events as I am very introverted and often shy.

This is the first year that I’ve contributed to BHM at work. @Nopenotsureigiveahoot. One of the reasons I did so was so that people who were shyer didn’t feel pressured.

I’m also very aware that ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’ so I’m doing something that will let me be seen. It’s strange though as it feels like bringing something very personal to work.

Love David Olusoga @Nopenotsureigiveahoot I watched his documentary on the windrush and was blown away.

Black history month for me is happy and sad, happy for the small recognition but sad that this should not be all we get. Black history should be party of the curriculum.

My child is taught daily the things that black people have done, it shouldn’t just be a month to recognise our contributions.

Congrats on you standing up at work and being seen, not easy at all @PonDeReplay

*part not party 🤣

• my child is taught daily (by me)

Saw this feature in the Guardian yesterday

www.theguardian.com/world/2020/oct/01/steve-mcqueen-bernardine-evaristo-100-great-black-britons

Attended an online talk by Ms Wendy Williams hosted by the Civil Service Race forum. This incredibly dignified woman spoke so eloquently about lessons learned from the Windrush scandal and how.many points of failure in the system

www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmicfrs/about-us/who-we-are/wendy-williams/

I saw this yesterday whilst watching Steph's packed lunch shared by the lovely Miquita Oliver. I always like to research a bit before I post anything but this looks kosher rediscovering-black-history.blogs.archives.gov/2020/06/29/william-dorsey-swann-the-queen-of-drag/

I've just seen this and I am genuinely confused as to why Laurence Fox views this as racial segregation. Any ideas??
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8803619/Laurence-Fox-says-boycotting-Sainsburys-promoting-racial-segregation-discrimination.html

@Farle29 Lawrence Fox and his irk are upset when other people who don't look like them take the stage away from them. They are worried if people who don't look like them achieve true equality in society they will have and get less riches.

I saw the thread in AIBU earlier. There seems to be a line of thought that anything that is specifically for, or about, Black people, must be stopped. It's a bit pathetic really.

He doesn't like his cosy status quo being rocked, even if it's only a gentle shake. He's from the part of Society that's always benefited from things as they are.

He doesn't like Black History month. He just doesn't understand what it's about. Some people, when they don't understand something outside of their own little world, don't try and engage and learn, they just want to shut it down. They are frightened of change that they can't control.

He's never had a hidden history, his are the people who controlled the history we learned at school. He's against the learning of a Black perspective of history later in life.

Too bad. BHM is not going away.

Fox is entitled to his rather myopic view, but attacks anyone who disagrees with it. Fox speaks from a perspective of white male wealthy privilege which he refuses to acknowledge.

Anyone who disagrees with him is some sort of extremist left winger and the usual insults are let loose upon us.

Someone from the BLM Movement said boo to him seemingly. So he's thrown his toys out of the pram. (Again).

My guess is: it's all a bit of a publicity stunt for some political party he is setting up. I don't think he's getting much acting work. No one is paying him enough attention, so this latest, is to get a bit of a spotlight back on himself. Pathetic really.

I'm attending an online interview with Gary Younge later this week that I'm looking forward to.

MotherofPearl come and tell us about it won't you?

He doesn't like his cosy status quo being rocked, even if it's only a gentle shake. He's from the part of Society that's always benefited from things as they are

You know what? I think that's true.
I saw his moan on Twitter and was genuinely baffled at how he can think it's segregation (and people agreeing with him!)
I mean, it's literally the opposite - it's integration !
I think it's an uncomfortable thing for people to have think about so they'd rather pretend they don't understand, or don't want to acknowledge others as you say it rocks their world view and they're scared of rights being taken away from them or something.
Saw a quote which said something like “Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It’s not pie” which I thought was a good one.

@RedMarauder@Quaagars@EchoCardioGran
I'm glad you all commented because I really thought "Am I missing something ". People's responses to his rant have saddened but not surprised me. There is some much space in the world and some people can't even let you have a little piece of it.

@Farle29 I'm also saddened, but unsurprised, at the responses supporting him. I've seen it so many times over the years just here in my part of the UK. A black section, a womens section and an LGB section in a trade union, of mainly white male uniformed employees. Cries of "what about a section for white men?" descended into a near riot at a meeting when I pointed out to the hundreds of white men in the room that I was standing in it. That was about twenty years ago now. The status quo hate change. Individuals within it, thankfully see what @Quaagers said up thread. So important. Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you

Even the shouting, and trolling. and the lack of understanding that went on to get this little board up and running. The spite. For what? So that we can come together and talk about braiding childrens hair, talk about recipes, a bit of shared history, where to find toys and books. How lonely it is for some black students at a certain university. Things that get lost, or dismissed, or deliberately misunderstood on the main board.

Wow. Really dangerous aren't we?

There is some much space in the world and some people can't even let you have a little piece of it. So true. Fox being one of them.

But hey, this is about Black History. These day to day irritations are all stepping stones forward. At least we can shop in Sainsburys without running into Laurence Fox - seeing as he is boycotting it. That's got to be a massive leap forward for Black People everywhere.

Absolutely@EchoCardioGran. I am embracing Black History Month with both arms and making a point of sharing the information I come across with others, especially my nieces and nephews, so they have the information and can be proud and stand tall and push even further.
Onwards and upwards!

Black history month keeps on giving. Pure gym with 12 years s slave workout to celebrate black history month. What more can I say?

Have you seen puregym in the news? And the black PT continued to defend his position!!!🤬

The worst part in all the pure gym nonsense. The person is black.

What on earth....no, I didn't know about this. It's tough getting up the stairs these days, never mind the gym.
The instructor is black? I get so sad at these idiots who fail to engage their brain or see some kind of momentary infamy.

I don't tweet, otherwise, I'd ask him what he was doing for Holocaust Memorial Day, or does his total insensitivity and lack of brain just apply to Black heritage?

Can’t believe someone thought that Pure Gym workout was a good idea! And although I’m a little surprised that the person involved is black, it proves you can be insensitive no matter what your heritage.

One of the things I’ve realised is that I have to make the effort to learn more about black history and make sure that I share it with my kids. Living in a place where I’m from a minority group means that it won’t just happen by osmosis...

Apparently Pure Gym have made an apology
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-54419760

I just watched this programme on classical , and would like to share. So much amazing, spine tingling talent! Enjoy.

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000n18w/black-classical-music-the-forgotten-history

I was thinking about a little bit of history that affected me some decades ago.
The first Black Lord Mayor of Manchester was a woman called Yomi Mambu in 1989. She was from Sierra Leone and became the Equality lead for Women in Manchester. There is a statue of her in the Town Hall.

Around that year, I was at a big celebration for an organisation called the Pan-African Congress and there was a big room in the Manchester Town Hall full of people of colour. I was sat next to an elderly gentleman, and we were chatting away. He said to me to look up, and look around me. So I did.

Around the walls were painting of famous Manchester dignitaries, politicians, merchants and so on. He said to me " Look at them".
So I did, without exception they were all white men looking down upon us. All stern faced and important looking.

He gave me a big chuckle and a nudge and said, " I wonder what they would think about all of us sitting here now."

And then he roared with laughter which made me laugh and he laughed some more, and passed me a drink, and clinked his glass with mine.

[quote Ylvamoon]I just watched this programme on classical , and would like to share. So much amazing, spine tingling talent! Enjoy.

www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000n18w/black-classical-music-the-forgotten-history[/quote]
Will watch it now, sorry to cross post with you, thank you @Yivamoon