It’s Black History month: a time to promote and celebrate the achievements of black people, recognise their contributions, and learn about Black history in general. Like me, in my former role as a class teacher, many of you will probably celebrate black voices and stories from around the world, possibly touch upon the transatlantic slave trade, or, more than likely, delve into the civil rights movement. But what about Black British History? Why do we overlook the history of our own country? Should this not be our first point of call? I don’t have the answers to these questions but what I can do is share my journey that led to this blog.
In my previous role as an English subject leader, I noticed that the books chosen for Black History Month were heavily focused on the civil rights movement, following the journey of legendary activists such as Martin Luther King, Rosa Parks and Harriet Tubman. Black American athletes were also a recurring theme, detailing the inspirational lives of Jesse Owens and Jackie Robinson. I vividly remember discussing this with my headteacher at the time, and we thought about the message that this was sending to the children at our school. Are black people only good at being athletes and activists? Are all black inspirational leaders simply just part of our past? Certainly not! But this was the message we were unconsciously sending to children, and I’ll tell you how I knew this. I was talking to my previous year 6 class about Barack Obama and his achievements as the first African-American president of the United States. We were discussing the book, ‘Barack Obama: Son of Promise, Child of Hope’ by Nikki Grimes (a lovely book, might I add) and one child yelled, “What do you mean he’s still alive?” At the time, I honestly thought he was joking. But then, I looked around at the sea of faces - surprised, confused, and curious. It was at that moment, I discovered that my class thought a celebration of Black History meant a celebration of people from the past who were dead. I don’t know why I was so shocked because that was what we had unconsciously taught them throughout their whole primary life.
So, I began my mission sourcing books which celebrated Black people of the past and present. I truly wanted to consider a range of experiences through books that were commemorative, not just those which focused on struggle. I aimed to have an equal gender balance, thought about a cross-curricular approach and I considered the children’s interests too. Looking back, there was so much that I wanted to ‘get right’ but what I struggled with most was Black British history. In all honesty, it was a challenge that I never did quite overcome because at the time there was so little out there. It was as if Black British history did not exist. This is why the remainder of this blog is dedicated to the small collection of books that I’ve found along the way. Many of which were first published in 2021. It’s a shame that it’s taken so long, and sadly I wasn’t able to share these wonderful books with the children I’ve taught over the years. At least I get to share them with you, with the hope that you’ll provide the children in your class with the opportunity to celebrate the brilliance of Black British History.
Black and British: an illustrated history by David Olusoga
A beautifully illustrated book which took me on a chronological journey through 1800 years of Black British history: from the first recorded African community living in Britain during the Roman times, to a Black Victorian celebrity, Black soldiers fighting for Britain in the First and Second World War, and right up until the Black Lives Matter movement. This book is full of historic wonders which will spark curiosity whilst informing and engaging KS2 readers too.
Superheroes: Inspiring Stories of Secret Strength by Sophia Thakur
With an introduction by grime artist Stormzy and curated by his team at Merky books, Superheroes details extraordinary stories of over 50 modern day, Black British icons. My previous year 5 class would have loved this book’s unique spin on how ambition can be transformed into a superpower. Set to inspire KS2 children to follow their dreams, this might even be the key to unlocking your class’s full potential.
John Agard's Windrush Child by John Agard
Poetic and radiating beauty, Windrush Child tells of a story of a young boy who leaves all he has ever known on the shores of the Caribbean to sail across the ocean to a new life in Britain. Rich in literary language and Caribbean culture, I was in awe with how this magnificent book brings to life the incredible story of the Windrush Generation.
Where are you from?: A book celebrating Black British History for Children by SJ Penni
In reading the fascinating biographies of both legendary and unsung heroes, I discovered so much about our country that I didn’t know before. Packed with a plethora of facts, this book celebrates a variety of accomplishments and contributions of black people throughout the ages. A rich text which I would certainly use across the curriculum.
With the new texts that are being published, it’s clear that we are in a period of transformation. It brings me so much joy to witness the shift from a history that focused on past struggles to one that honours achievements. I know that my collection of texts might be small, but each book is filled with a breadth and depth of knowledge that will certainly celebrate Black British history - an important part of British history.
Rickella Griffiths
