The origin of April Fool’s Day
The celebration of April Fools’ Day, also known as All Fools Day, observed on 1 April every year, has existed for several centuries in different cultures. Playing hoaxes or practical …
Features
Is Critical Race Theory really dangerous?
Critical race theory (CRT) is an intellectual framework that emerged in the 1970s in response to the limitations of traditional civil rights approaches for addressing systemic racism. CRT recognises that …
The co-opting of ‘woke’: How far-right conservatives turned a movement into a dog whistle
The term “woke” has undergone a deliberate negative transformation over the past few years. Once used to show awareness of social issues and empathy towards them, the word has been …
What is Commonwealth Day?
Commonwealth Day is an annual celebration that takes place on the second Monday of March. It is an event to celebrate the values, diversity and achievements of the Commonwealth, which …
Why do we celebrate Mother’s Day?
Mother’s Day is a celebration honouring the mother of the family, as well as motherhood, maternal bonds, and the influence of mothers in society. It is celebrated on various days …
What is the Festival of Colours?
The Festival of Colours is a popular Hindu festival, also known as Holi or the Festival of Love. It is celebrated all over India and Nepal. It is usually observed …
Remembrance Day aka Armistice Day explained
Every year on 11 November, Armistice Day commemorates the armistice signing between the Allied armies and Germany at 11am – the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh …
What is Day of the Dead?
Day of the dead is a popular Mexican holiday celebrated to commemorate the dead. Mexico’s Day of the Dead, or Dia de los Muertos, is a festive occasion that honours …
What is Samhain?
The Samhain festival (pronounced ‘sow’inn’) is a Gaelic festival marking the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter. It has traditionally been observed across Ireland, Scotland, and …
The life and legacy of Louise Bennett: A Jamaican poet whose words still resonate
Louise Bennett was a Jamaican author, poet, and playwright who used her words to promote the culture and history of her home country. She was fondly known by many as …
The Windrush passenger’s underground accommodations
When Caribbean migrants disembarked from the SS Empire Windrush on 22 June 1948, many of them had nowhere to live. Due to the shortage of housing in London following World …
I Spy: The Josephine Baker Story
Actor Janelle Monaé (Hidden Figures) is set to star as the iconic entertainer Josephine Baker in a new TV series titled De La Resistance. So who was Josephine Baker? Exotic …
Black women empowerment: How to lift each other up
Black women’s empowerment is not a new movement. However, in recent years, it has gained even more traction. This is likely partly due to the powerful voices of black women …
22 April is Stephen Lawrence Day – Have things got better?
Friday 22 April is Stephen Lawrence Day – an annual event held on the date of Stephen’s death as a celebration of Stephen’s life and legacy. Stephen Lawrence was a …
Why do we celebrate Easter?
Easter will be seen as a lovely long Bank Holiday weekend for many people. For others, it’s a Christian religious holiday. As a Jamaican, celebrating Easter has always been a …
World Poetry Day: Profile on Paul Laurence Dunbar
Today is World Poetry Day, and to celebrate, we’re highlighting a poet some may not have heard about in mainstream circles. Today, we feature Paul Laurence Dunbar, poet, novelist, and …
The global rise of fascism: How we got here and what we can do about
In the past few years, fascism has been on the rise all over the world. From Brexit to Trump, far-right ideologies have been gaining mainstream traction in a number of …
Proud to Be: Reclaiming black dignity
The theme of Black History Month 2021 is Proud to Be. How did our ancestors reclaim their dignity and what made them proud to be after slavery? I grew …
What is cancel culture, and are there any benefits?
In a world full of cancel culture, it’s hard to know what to do. We’re constantly being told that if we don’t agree with someone or something, the best thing …
Windrush Day
Windrush Day is observed in the UK on 22 June to mark the arrival of the Empire Windrush and to honour the contribution of the Windrush Generation and their descendants. …
Celebrating Pride Month: Justin Fashanu – First out gay footballer
In 1990 Justin Fashanu stunned the football world as the first professional footballer to come out as gay. At this time racism and homophobia were endemic in football. Justin’s early …
Celebrating Pride Month – Marsha P Johnson
Marsha P Johnson was an outspoken transgender rights activist at the forefront of important moments in LGBTQ+ history. Her activism in the 1960s and 70s had an enormous impact on …
The Windrush scandal and the hostile environment
What is the Windrush scandal? The Windrush scandal mainly affected UK citizens originally from the Caribbean. It came to light in 2018 after it emerged that hundreds of Commonwealth citizens, …
Tulsa race massacre survivors seek justice
Viola Fletcher, the oldest survivor of the racist attack on Tulsa’s “Black Wall Street”, testified at a House Judiciary Committee hearing to mark the centennial of the 1921 Tulsa Race …
