When Black History Month (BHM) was established in the UK in 1987, emanating from the vision of Baba Akyaaba Addai-Sebo, it came with a raft of declarations including: “promoting positive public images and an understanding of Afrikans and people of Afrikan descent and encourage the positive teaching and development of their history, culture and struggles” and to “support Afrikan organisations and liberation movements based in London”. (1)
BHM didn’t just come out of thin air. It’s roots can be traced back the to “post-war” anti-colonial/Independence movements of Afrika and the Caribbean of the 1940s and 1950s, through to the civil rights and later Black Power thrusts of the 1960s into the 1970s, especially in the USA and the UK. Yet more directly, a mere decade before in 1977, “Britain’s largest gathering ever of black people at that time” occurred at the Pan-African Congress Movement’s Afrika Liberation Day observance. (2) This was supplanted four year later by the Black People’s Day of Action in 1981, inspired by the New Cross Massacre, up to 60,000 came out on to the streets. this was followed later that year by uprisings across Afrikan communities, forcing the powers that be to finally sit up and take notice. (3) A message re-iterated four years later at Broadwater Farm. (4)
Where has the power potential encapsulated in the African Jubilee Year Declaration, out of which BHM came, gone? What will historians of one hundred years-time be saying about us here and now? Will it be, as our young warrior Kwame Gonza exhorted on our previous show, the liberation of Afrika by 2033? Or petulant rants and squabbles about “allies?” Certainly, history will record the impact of “Covid-19” but anything about an Afrikan response?
The Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement defines history as: “History is a record of progressive events of the past leading to (or) resulting in the present and projecting towards the future.” The purpose of which is to “motivate and direct a people to draw on their past in taking control of their present and masterminding their own destiny.
As we continue to honour the legacy of Baba Runoko Rashidi, we are reminded that he provided us with an infinite amount of tools by which we can locate ourselves in history and assert our presence and claim our space. (5)
(1) Akyaaba Addai-Sebo and Ansel Wong (Eds) (1988) Our Story – A Handbook of African History and Contemporary Issues. London Strategic Poverty Unit p. 7-8; p. 319 (2) Kwame Nkrumah (1965) Neo-Colonialism The Last Stage of Imperialism. International Publishers
(2) Caroline Raphael (17/06/18) The untold story of African Liberation Day. https://www.voice-online.co.uk/article/untold-story-african-liberation-day
(3) Auntie Jean’s Afrikan Culture Market (17/01/21) 14 Dead and Nothing Said… https://www.facebook.com/auntiejeanp/videos/4041852552515113
(4) Paul Gilroy (2007) Black Britain: A Photographic History. SAQI in association with getty images. p. 230
(5) Afrika Speaks with Alkebu-Lan on Galaxy Radio (09/08/21) Runoko Rashidi: How can we best safeguard his legacy? A Tribute. https://www.mixcloud.com/AfrikaSpeaks/runoko-rashidi-how-can-we-best-safeguard-his-legacy-a-tribute-090821/
we ask the question:
Making History Pt. 1: What history are we making NOW for future generations?
1) Do you think BHM has followed its intended trajectory since 1987?
2) Do we have a sense that we are history makers today?
3) Do we really know enough of our history to make use of it?
4) Do have the capacity to mastermind our own destiny?
Our special Guest:
Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka: Resident guest who is Spiritual Leader of the Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement and an Afrikan-Centred Education Consultant. Bro. Ldr is a veteran activist of almost 40 years standing, a featured columnist in The Whirlwind newspaper and author of Mosiah Daily Affirmations and Education: An African-Centred Approach To Excellence.