Black History Month - advice please

[Lndnmummy]

Need advice. Year after year I dread black history month because it is executed appallingly at my son’s primary school. (For context I’m white, dh and our two sons are black, this is relevant for context).
I have a number of issues with BHM. Firstly the gross marginalisation of black history to one month a year. ONE month. I’m also incredibly uncomfortable with the narrative. It’s patronising at best and stereotypical and biased at worst. Example 1) we were sent home a note asking for “member of the black school community” who were successful to join the teachers on zoom for an “inspirational talk”. To me this is bizarre. What do I say to my son? “Darling, today daddy will be joining your class to talk about how he works in a bank, DESPITE being black?”.
I find it mind boggling, although acknowledge that the intent somewhere must be well meaning....

I am also angry that much of BHM seems to involve the slave trade. I find this appalling for a number of reasons but most because it is not part of black history. It is an awful, inexcusable outrage part of European history and colonialism.
Context, relevance and emotional maturity are all key to understanding here and it just seems so ill thought out.
I am also annoyed that BHM somehow has turned into “diversity month” which again completely marginalises what BHM is all about.
Can I, humbly, ask for your thoughts on this? I find it harder and harder to swollow the “look how great they did EVEN though they are black” narrative.
My husband feels like I do but I’d be interred in views and opinions and also if anyone has experience of how BHM has been carried out successfully.

Are there any non-white teachers at the school?

I am also angry that much of BHM seems to involve the slave trade...it is not part of black history. It is an awful, inexcusable outrage part of European history and colonialism.

I was with you until I read this ^^. Slavery was prevalent in many parts of Africa for centuries before the Atlantic slave trade was established. My understanding is that the majority of slaves who were transported to the Americas were sold by other African tribes. The history surrounding this shameful period is far more nuanced and complex than than you seem to be aware.

Interesting article on BBC:

www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.com/news/amp/world-africa-53444752

@Scoobidoo yes absolutely! I didn’t convey what I meant at all well. What I was trying to say (and failed miserably) was that the slave trade is not part of what should be celebrated in the context of BHM. I meant that those shameful events are Europeans to carry. I am still struggling to convey what I mean. I guess I was hoping for BHM to be a celebration of black history and that the school, through ignorance, is failing in providing that.
@RedMarauder, it is a very diverse school, the head for example is black which is another reason why I find the approach so disappointing.

@Scoobidoo you are right about the complexity and nuances many of which I was unaware of. Because I suspect we have not been taught enough about Black history at school, see my point above about not enough of the correct exposure to black history or culture. You are right to point that out. Thank you. As the mother of two black sons it is unacceptable to not know this. I will rectify. Thank you

Many black people hate it too. All history is their history too good and bad. Their country history is theirs.
I think will be far more useful to focus on illustrious people of all colours. We are far more than our skin colour.
We should encourage success and achievement as a society.
We should learn about history to achieve true equality and opportunities.

OP buy and read a copy of David Olusoga book - Black and British: A short, essential history: A short essential history Mainly as that is the book in the news.

Then get some copies for some of the teachers in the school including the head, and send them to them with a note on how it widened your understanding of Black British history.

Scoobidoo - surely the point is that slavery, regardless of context or identity of perpetrators, is still virtually the only aspect of the history of African, Caribbean, South American and other black people, across thousands of years, that is recognised or acknowledged in the U.K. This fetishisation of 'the suffering of black people' in the past, while doing almost nothing to promote equality in the present is, frankly, rather disgusting.

OP, I find BHM deeply insulting and do my best to avoid any contact with it.

OP it seems that you have a head start and can do the homework,so to speak, to fill in the gaps that the school are leaving. Why not give them a heads up of positive aspects of black history to be celebrated? I think the narrative has always been about focusing on 'he's successful and black' because for too long (and perhaps still now) there was a very strong undercurrent in the west of black people being associated with dire poverty. I still remember collecting pennies for "poor black babies" in school, this was the early 90's

@RedMarauder book ordered. Thank you. Thank you to everyone for sharing their thoughts. I really appreciate it.

I have a black son and don't understand what's happening. All black history month I saw was they grouped films together that had lead actors and pointed out the fact that they were black. Like a will smith movie, he got the role because he is one of the best actors for the job, nothing to do with being black or any history. Why does pointing him out as a black man for one month a year help.

Slavery was prevalent in many parts of Africa for centuries before the Atlantic slave trade was established

This was nothing like the Transatlantic slave trade.
Not one bit.

People branded like animals.

Their hands cut off in the sugar plantations

18 hour working days in awful conditions, with a life of just 8 years on arrival from Africa

Metal collars round their necks

Holes dug for pregnant slaves to lie in and protect their unborn baby, while they were whipped as punishment.

They are not comparable. I really hope you're not suggesting they were.

I liked having black members in the community coming and telling us their stories in secondary school. It was a lot better than you guys were slaves let’s celebrate that (that is how I personally felt few times). As long as the adults who came don’t gaslight the fact racism exists and highlight strategies to help young kids overcome/ deal with disappointments it is good.

I think it would be beneficial if your dh did go. I personally don’t know any black banker personally. He could tell the children what qualifications he had to get to become a banker. There might be potential bankers there who don’t know the steps. Did he need a apprenticeship or a degree? How important was his sats? What has he learnt in primary school helped him? I also think, there is a great importance to remind children and their parents the importance of work experience. In primary school they are to young for this. But it is something important to plant in the back of their minds.

Child learning about slavery in primary school during Black History Month

Don't* really *know where to begin with this but... DD got homework which included a BHM theme as main part of English section.
They were given a timeline of "historic" events and asked to put them in correct order, there were at least 3 "events" referring to the transatlantic slave trade; Europeans "buying and selling of African slaves" , "the abolition of slavery act" and "slavery becoming illegal in the British Empire".

DD is in Y3.
I was not expecting these highly complex subjects to be taught in primary school let alone be rolled out in such a crude, crass way.
My heart is heavy with this subject matter and I feel the school could've taken a much more sensitive approach - better yet, focus on positive historic BH themes to actually inspire the kids - which is why it was created in the first place; to shine a light on black people too often portrayed as negative in western societies.
I'm posting this because I am in shock! And would like to know if this is being taught in your DC's primary schools? If so how have you approached it?
Is this normal?
My DH has refused to allow our DD to complete the homework.

I think it's much better when talking about groups/events that are being celebrated/explored for it to come from 'the horses mouth'. In my dc's primary school (which wasn't particularly diverse) one of the parents always came in to talk about Eid/Diwali/Chinese New year etc. It would be much more inspirational/motivational for Black children to hear from a Black banker in BHM rather than the white teacher. It would also be more appropriate for non Black dc to see a Black speaker in BHM.

I'm not black but what bothers me about a lot of the examples I've seen in BHM is how passive the examples are. It's as if history just happened to black people, when like most people who weren't white males they were written out of history.

Have you looked at organisations such as RCpsych, I know their South Asian month was much more focused on achievement and contribution.

There isn't anything wrong with slavery being taught in schools in context, so the black revolutionaries that led slave rebellions and black people in Europe that organised themselves to resist and abolish it. This would be far healthier focus and provide more rounded approach to the usual narrative of Africa as victim and freedom 'given' by good old Brits.

Or a discussion on ancient African kingdoms pre colonial , or the contribution of black men and women in the last war.

To be fair the BBC do a decent enough job for BHM, its not as if BHM.org don't provide tons of ideas for schools

www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk/