blackhistorymonth.org.uk, regarding as the official website for Black History Month (BHM) in the UK has declared that the theme for this year is “Reclaiming Narratives.”:

“This theme underscores a commitment to correcting historical inaccuracies and showcasing the untold success stories and the full complexity of Black heritage. It’s about taking control of our stories and honouring our heroes while challenging the narratives that have often overlooked the contributions and achievements of Black individuals both in the UK and globally.” (1)

Perhaps part of this reclamation could include BHM itself, given that the favourite to become leader of His Majesty’s opposition, Kemi Bad-enoch has previously dismissed it as ‘racism history month,’ depsite her own history of garnering support from racists as well as denigrating her own heritage. (2)

Yet as Warrior Scholar Baba John Henrik Clarke asserts: “History is a clock that people use to tell their political and cultural time of day.” (3) Therefore we might want to discern what the political and cultural time of day is for Afrikans in the UK and elsewhere. It could reasonably be argued that, in light of the summer riots, that the climate in the UK is decidedly hostile, not least because of the extent to which vast sections of the poltical class excused them. (4)

This orientation goes hand in hand with the movement to erase Black history (or even troubling aspects of UK history) in the UK. (5). So while the proliferation of BHM across the UK is undoubted, the extent to which it challenges these tendencies does need some examination.

From its origins BHM UK was concerned with grassroots activism which was linked to revolutionary movements around the world with the affirmation that due to “London’s position as the hub of international monopoly finance capital, accumulated through its historic role in the expropriation of the lands, resources and labour” it is: “central to dismantling the international operating system of racism, white supremacy or apartheid,” facilitated by “enlightened leadership.” (6)

In 1980s the Afrikan world agitated around issues like Grenada, Burkina Faso and South Africa. Today we have Ayiti, Ouagadougou (The Sahel), Congo and Sudan to name a few. The challenge then is to create and maintain mobilisation around these issues in the present.

(1) Cherron Inko-Tariah (24/03/24) Reclaiming Narratives: Theme for Black History Month 2024. https://www.blackhistorymonth.org.uk/article/section/bhm-intros/reclaiming-narratives-theme-for-black-history-month-2024/

(2) James Cheng-Morris and James Hockaday (09/10/24) Who is the favourite to be next Tory leader? https://uk.news.yahoo.com/tory-party-next-leader-odds-poll-election-185309681.html; Rachel Wearmouth (31/10/21) Black History Month becoming ‘racism history month’, claims Equalities Minister Kemi Badenoch. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/fury-minister-kemi-badenoch-claims-25341328; Sophie Huskisson (08/10/24) Kemi Badenoch’s fans exchange ‘racist’ WhatsApp messages – including about Rishi Sunak. https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/kemi-badenochs-fans-exchange-racist-33848207; Katherine McPhillips (19/07/22) Britain First urges supporters to back ‘anti-woke’ candidate Kemi Badenoch. https://www.express.co.uk/news/politics/1642512/britain-first-back-kemi-badenoch-ont; Richard Sudan (08/05/24) Why is Kemi Badenoch denying Britain’s colonialism helped its economic growth? https://www.voice-online.co.uk/news/uk-news/2024/05/08/why-is-kemi-badenoch-denying-britains-colonialism-helped-its-economic-growth/; Kimbunga Media (gotKushTV) (09/09/24) Kemi Badenoch & Nigerian “Socialist Military Governments.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rD61KNsu-yU&t=13s

(3) St. Clair Bourne (1996) John Henrik Clarke: A Great and Mighty Walk. Black Dot Media

(4) Renie Anjeh (11/08/24) Why are excuses being made for today’s rioters, but not 2011’s? https://inews.co.uk/opinion/why-are-excuses-being-made-for-todays-rioters-but-not-2011s-3219059?srsltid=AfmBOoqPoW_lJSp41ZRnYtHYEulqBq7xLdvXRCbKgKbOFcUOQz0vajD6

(5) Paula Akpan (18/10/18) Black British history: A study in erasure. https://www.aljazeera.com/opinions/2018/10/18/black-british-history-a-study-in-erasure; Corinne Fowler (22/04/24) My writing on colonialism made me a hate figure – so I replied to my trolls. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2024/04/22/corrine-fowler-national-trust-report-on-colonialism-trolls/

(6) Akyaaba Addai-Sebo and Ansel Wong (Eds) (1988) Our Story – A Handbook of African History and Contemporary Issues. London Strategic Poverty Unit p.8:

So tonight we ask the question:

What History have we made in last 38 years?

1) How does the current political climate compare with the 1980s?

2) What narratives do we need to “reclaim”?

3) How can BHM combat the attempted erasure of Black History?

4) Is BHM still linked to international activism?

Our Special Guests:

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 over 40 years standing. He is the visionary that brought forth the Mosiah Season in 1998 and prime mover behind what became the interim National Afrikan People’s Parliament. Bro. Ldr. is the author of Mosiah Daily Affirmations and Education: An Afrikan-Centred Approach To Excellence..

Baba Akyaaba Addai-Sebo: a long standing Pan-Afrikan activist and is one of the main inspirations of Afrikan Jubilee Year, which spawned the establishment of “Black History Month” in the UK in October 1987. He has also been an independent Consultant on Preventive Diplomacy and Conflict Transformation and Special Envoy of International Alert. He helped to broker peace negotiations between the fighting groups in Liberia and Sierra Leone. Other roles held include consultant to The Listen Charity’s (UK) advocacy and fundraising campaign in support of the exemplary work of expert children’s charities mostly in developing countries. Bro. Addai is presently in Ghana working on a reforestation project to green degraded lands. In November 2022 Baba Akyaaba was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Literature by School of Oriental & African Studies (SOAS), University of London.

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