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 co-opted by far-right conservatives, who deliberately muddled its meaning, turning it into a derogatory dog whistle to signal their base. This blog post will explore …
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 comprises over 50 countries with a combined population of 2.4 billion. Commonwealth Day provides an opportunity to recognise the power of community, inclusivity and friendship. …
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 in many parts of the world, most commonly in March or May. The holiday has a long and fascinating history, with roots in many different …
Valentine’s Day, synonymous with love and romance, is celebrated annually on 14 February. People across the globe exchange tokens of affection like candy, flowers, and greeting cards, all in the name of love. But have you ever wondered about the origins of this special day and how it has evolved over time? The mystery of …
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 month. While hostilities continued in some areas, the armistice ended four years of fighting in World War Two. On 11 November, British tradition calls for …
In the rich tapestry of history, there are individuals whose unwavering dedication and tireless efforts have paved the way for a more inclusive and just society. Gerlin Bean, a Jamaican-born activist and advocate, is one such remarkable individual. Throughout her life, she has been a driving force in the fight against discrimination and inequality, particularly …
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 Miss Lou. Her poetry and writing were instrumental in developing a uniquely Jamaican cultural identity, and her work is still celebrated and revered today. Louise …
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 War Two, temporary housing was scarce. As a result, 236 migrants from the merchant vessel were transported by bus from Tilbury docks in Essex to …
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 cabaret dancer, operatic singer, comedienne, first black movie star, and bisexual celebrity. Although all these titles frequently appear in searches connected to entertainer Josephine Baker, …
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 who are using their platforms to uplift other black women. Black girl magic is a term used to describe the power and beauty of black …
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 black teenager who lived in Eltham in South London. He was murdered in an unprovoked, racially motivated attack on 22 April 1993 at 18. Police began …
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 tradition with its many observances. We don’t eat meat on Good Friday, and we give chocolate eggs to each other on Easter Sunday. As I …
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 short-story writer. He was one of the first African American poets to gain national recognition. Paul Laurence Dunbar was born on 27 June 1872 in …
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 countries. Many people are asking how we got here and what can be done about it. In this blog post, I will try to answer …
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 up listening to a lot of uplifting songs that told me I should be proud to be black. Growing up during a time when the …
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 to do is cancel them from our lives. Many celebrities have been ‘cancelled’ online having done something that their fans don’t agree with. These include …
Born in Guyana, Frank Bailey came to England in 1953 as a political activist, joining the West Indian Standing Conference (WISC), an umbrella organisation formed in 1958 to promote the interests of the African‐Caribbean community in Britain. Frank heard about the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) whilst he was a member of the WISC when a …
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. Windrush Day was introduced in June 2018 on the 70th anniversary of the Windrush migration following a successful campaign led by Patrick Vernon. The arrival …
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 years Justinus Soni “Justin” Fashanu was born on 19 February 1961. He was raised in the London area of Hackney, where his Nigerian father was …
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 LGBTQ+ community. Marsha P Johnson was born Malcolm Michaels Jnr on 24 August 1945 in New Jersey, United States. It was only after leaving …
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, many of whom were from the Windrush Generation, had been wrongly detained, deported and denied legal rights. Who are the Windrush generation? The Windrush Generation …
In the 1960s and 1970s, hundreds of black children in Britain were wrongly classified as “educationally subnormal” and sent to special schools. These schools were designed for students with learning disabilities, but the children placed there did not belong. This discriminatory practice devastated the lives of these children, their families, and the black community as …
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 Massacre. Viola Fletcher was 7 when a white mob destroyed the all-Black neighbourhood in Tulsa and killed 300 Black people. For nearly a century the …
Communism is a political and economic ideology that aims to establish a classless society in which the means of production are owned and controlled collectively by the community. The theory of communism was developed primarily by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels in reaction to the tremendous social disparities created by the industrial revolution. Throughout history, …
