Plenty is happening in Black British History- according to the Mail on Sunday, the OCR GCSE course ‘Migration To Britain c. 1000 to c. 2010’ which we heralded at WHBBH3 has been condemned as ‘pro-immigration propaganda’. The #RhodesMustFall campaign in Oxford is provoking widespread debate about Britain’s colonial legacy, as well as the significance of our public monuments; and a new BBC Two History series ‘A Black History of Britain’, presented by David Olusoga, is planning to erect over twenty specially designed ‘BBC Black History plaques’ to record and celebrate people and events that are pivotal to this history.
Following the success of our previous events in London and Liverpool, we would like to invite you to the fourth of the Institute of Commonwealth Studies’ Black British History Workshops at Watershed, Bristol, on Thursday 7th April 2016. The Bristol workshop will be co-sponsored by the University of the West of England (UWE) and the Institute of Commonwealth Studies.
The aim of the series is to foster a creative dialogue between researchers, educationalists (mainstream and supplementary), artists and writers, archivists and curators, and policy makers. It seeks to identify and promote innovative new research into the history of people of African origin or descent in the UK, and facilitate discussion of the latest developments in the dissemination of Black British history in a wide variety of settings including the media, the classroom and lecture hall, and museums and galleries, thus providing an opportunity to share good practice.
At this fourth workshop, we would like to open the floor to presentations on any aspect of Black British History. As we will be in Bristol, local and regional or family histories from Bristol and the South-West would also be welcome.
The workshop will be divided into three panels, followed by a round-table discussion. Each panel will consist of three presentations lasting for 15-20 minutes.
Individual Papers
We would be delighted to hear from researchers, educationalists, artists, writers, archivists and curators or others interested in offering a presentation. Please submit a title and a brief description of your presentation either in writing (in which case, of no more than 300 words) or in some other form (for example a clip or podcast) to Dr. Miranda Kaufmann at miranda.kaufmann@sas.ac.uk by 26th February 2016.
Complete Panels
In addition, we would be happy to consider proposals for a complete panel. The panel should have a coherent unifying theme, and the proposal should include the abstracts of three related presentations and the names and affiliations of the presenters. We would also be interested in providing A-level students, undergraduates or graduate students with an opportunity to give presentations on projects relating to Black British History.
Registration
The day will run from 11am to 6.00pm, followed by a Reception. There will be a registration fee of £20 (£10 for students/unwaged) to cover the costs of lunch and refreshments. A limited number of travel bursaries will be available to independent speakers on application.
Registration for the workshop is now open. Book your place here.
The third ‘What’s Happening in Black British History?’ workshop (WHBBH3) took place in Senate House, University of London, on Thursday, 29 October 2015.
The series overall aims to foster a creative dialogue between researchers, educationalists (mainstream and supplementary), archivists and curators, and policy makers. It seeks to identify and promote innovative new research into the history of people of African origin or descent in the UK. The third workshop was designed primarily to explore different approaches to teaching Black British History and how to foster a greater interest in the field.
As with previous workshops WHBBH3 received very positive feedback in the evaluation forms: ‘enjoyable and enlightening’, ‘a most stimulating day’, and ‘the blend of vocational, academic and community learning is enriching’.
The opening keynote address was delivered by Eric Huntley, a pioneering political and social activist and radical book publisher, whose life’s work is currently being celebrated at the critically acclaimed No Colour Bar Black British Art in Action 1960 -1990 exhibition at the Guildhall Art Gallery. Eric read from his memoirs, and then went on to discuss the setting up of Bogle-L’Ouverture Publications and Bookshop in the 1960s, painting an insightful picture of the dynamic African-Caribbean community in London at that time. His address was warmly received by the audience and set the tone for the discussions to follow.
The remainder of the day was divided into three panels. The first sought to challenge the conventional narratives. Catherine Johnson discussed how to engage young readers through fiction. Ryan Hanley moved beyond the careworn themes of slavery and abolition to showcase the great variety of voices within eighteenth-century Black British writing, and David Killingray concluded with a critical assessment of the current state of Black British historical scholarship (which you can read here).
The second panel focused on teaching Black British History. Martin Spafford reported the exciting news that, from this September, migration will be offered as a topic on OCR and AQA GCSE courses. Dema Wonga of Narrative Eye and the Justice2History team both gave us insights into their experiences of communicating Black British History in the classroom.
The final panel examined ‘New Perspectives on the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries’. Jeffrey Green gave us some vignettes from his research into Black Victorians. Jan Marsh gave a curatorial perspective from her experiences of working with Black British portraits. Advolly Richmond recast the Reverend Thomas Birch Freeman, more usually known for his missionary work, as a pioneering botanist.
The day closed with a reflective plenary session. Overall, WHBBH3 showcased exciting new developments in research, particularly in the arenas of teaching and education. The event was well attended by individuals with a wide range of knowledge and interests, and generated a great deal of lively discussion. It was clear from the debate that there are many more aspects of Black British History still to be researched, and plenty more questions to answer.
Do you have something to contribute? Send us a proposal for WHBBH4!
Eric, with his wife Jessica, was a pioneering Black political and social activist and radical book publisher. Born in what was then British Guiana, he arrived in England in the 1950’s and became active in political and social campaigns relating to the British African-Caribbean communities in and around London.
For over 50 years the Huntleys’ participated in many of the significant grassroots campaigns within the community. They were
Founder members of the Caribbean Education and Community Workers Association (CECWA)
Helped form The Black Parents Movement (BPM) in 1975
Organised the 1981 Black People’s Day of Action march
Established The Supplementary School Movement in the community
Created Bogle-L’Ouverture Publications to promote radical Black writing.
Eric and Jessica Huntley’s importance to the community is reflected in their collected papers being taken into the London Metropolitan Archives – the Huntley Collection. They have an entry in London 1000 Years – Treasures from the Collections of the City of London.
The Huntley Archive and the Huntleys’ contribution to Black British culture is currently being celebrated in an acclaimed exhibition at the Guildhall Art Gallery, London – No Colour Bar: Black British Art in Action 1960-1990.
11.30-1.00 Session One Challenging the Conventional Narratives
Looking at Our Past Through Fiction: Engaging Young Readers With Black British History
Catherine Johnson (Author and Educationalist)
Catherine has written close to twenty novels for young readers. Her novel Sawbones won the Young Quills best historical novel in 2013. She has also written for film and TV including Bullet Boy, and Simon Schama’s Rough Crossings. Her latest novel is The Curious Tale of The Lady Caraboo published by Corgi Books.
A More Interesting Narrative: Moving beyond Equiano and Slavery in the study of Eighteenth-Century Black British Writing
Ryan Hanley (New College, Oxford)
Ryan is the Salvesen Junior Fellow in History at New College, Oxford. Earlier this year he completed a PhD on eighteenth-century black British writing at the Wilberforce Institute for the study of Slavery and Emancipation at the University of Hull. He has held fellowships at the Huntington Library, California; Queen Mary University, London and the Omohundro Institute at William and Mary College, Virginia. In July he was awarded the Royal Historical Society’s Alexander Prize for his article on Ukawsaw Gronniosaw, the first black author to be published in Britain. He is currently working on a monograph about black writers in eighteenth-century Britain.
Black British history is happening – but to what end?
David Killingray (ICwS),
David is Emeritus Professor of Modern History, Goldsmiths London, a Senior Research Fellow in the ICwS (SAS), and an Honorary Professor of History at Stellenbosch University. During his career he has been a school teacher in Britain and Tanzania, trained history teachers, and taught in universities in Britain, Africa, and also the Caribbean. He has written books and articles on aspects of African, Caribbean, Imperial, and English local history, as well as on the black diaspora, topics on which he continues to research and write in active retirement.
1.00-2.00 Lunch
2.00-3.30 Session Two Teaching Black British History
The new GCSE course on migration to Britain: Black British history on the official exam curriculum
Martin Spafford (Retired history teacher)
Martin Spafford taught History in Leyton and Paddington for over 30 years and is now in ‘retirement’. A member of the Black and Asian Studies Association, he is a co-writer and co-designer – with Hakim Adi, Dan Lyndon and Marika Sherwood – of the new OCR GCSE courses and textbooks on migration to Britain. He is also helping with the supporting BBC Bitesize materials in an advisory capacity. He is a trustee of Journey To Justice and is currently working with Facing History and Ourselves on a project with school students in Brent.
Inclusive Curriculum: Learning to see the diversity of Britain
Dema Wonga (Narrative Eye)
Dema is currently the director of Gallery Hyde Park Hostels in London and has been in real estate since 2007. A graduate from Goldsmiths College, with a keen social conscience he decided to leave his job in the City of London to pursue a career that would give him the flexibility to engage with communities. He has worked closely with Narrative Eye for a number of years and recently took up the position of Education Development Manager. He has delivered curriculum focused workshop and contributed to the development of the African Youth Education Programme.
He was a voluntary worker for over 8 years with St Mary’s youth club in Islington, where he participated in a number of community lead projects in engaging young people. His focus has been to engage young people in creating a more inclusive cultural narrative as well as delivering programmes to address the limiting belief systems that exacerbate youth unemployment. Currently he teaches at a Saturday School for African and Caribbean children run in ParkView Academy, Haringey.
Doing justice to the teaching of Black British history in the classroom
Robin Whitburn (Institute of Education) and Abdull Mohamud (Institute of Education)
Dr Robin Whitburn, Lecturer in History Education at the University College London – Institute of Education. Robin is a Quality Mark Assessor for the Historical Association. A History graduate of the London School of Economics, his doctoral thesis was on successful pedagogy with African-Caribbean male students in secondary school. Robin has thirty years’ experience in teaching History, Economics and Mathematics in secondary education. He has taught on teacher training and other graduate courses for history educators for the last five years.
Abdul Mohamud, Senior Teaching Fellow at University College London – Institute of Education, tutoring School Direct (Salaried) trainee teachers. Abdul is a member of the Historical Association’s Secondary Committee. A History graduate of Goldsmith’s College, London University. He has taught a wide range of courses for students from 11-18 in History, Religious Studies and Sociology. He has eight years experience of working with young people from diverse ethnic backgrounds in inner London. Abdul is of Somali heritage and has strong links with a number of ethnically diverse communities.
3.30-4.00 Tea/coffee
4.00-6.00 Session Three New Perspectives on the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries
The murderer, the servant, and Lady Mary Grey: Victorian Africans and the historical record
Jeffrey Green (Independent Historian)
Jeffrey is a Londoner who since 1979 has researched the black presence in Britain. He has produced books, articles, radio and television programmes, lectures etc in Britain and America. His study of African Americans in Victorian Britain is currently under consideration in the U.S.A.
Re-framing the Nation
Jan Marsh (National Portrait Gallery)
Jan is a Biographer & art historian; curator of Black Victorians: Black People in British Art 1800-1900; Samuel ColeridgeTaylor 2012 display at National Portrait Gallery; currently working on Ira Aldridge & Paul Robeson. See http://janmarsh.blogspot.com
God and Coffee: The Forgotten Story of the Reverend Thomas Birch Freeman, Botanist
Advolly Richmond (Independent Researcher)
Advolly Richmond is a Garden, Landscape and Social Historian based in Shrewsbury. She is a trustee of the Shropshire Parks and Garden’s Trust and the Welsh Historic Gardens Trust. Through her Royal Horticultural Society training and qualifications she went on to achieve an MA in Garden History from the University of Bristol. She contributes articles to relevant publications
and gives various talks on 18th century landscapes, including the elite sport of archery in the 18th/19th century landscape park and from 2016 Rev. TB Freeman. Her ongoing research projects include 19th century black people connected with historic designed landscapes, (West) African Botanic stations and plant collecting.
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