October is Black History Month in the UK and it that even in its 38th year it is still misunderstood by those who remaain patently unware of it’s origins:
“By the designation of October as Black History Month it is our expectation that “Africa’s ideals”, shall forever be manifested in the upliftment of the African Personality in our schools, institutions of higher learning, communities, borough councils and especially in the hearts, minds and deeds of politicians…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)
This aspiration actually chimes with the aim of the original observance created by Baba Carter G Woodson in the USA in 1926 to “increase awareness of and interest in black history among the black masses.” (2)
Whatever people perceive of it today, the original intention, as envisioned by Akyaaba Addai-Sebo is as clear as day. Even if others may have, Baba Akyaaba has never lost sight of this and is urging us to make a special effort for the 40th anniversary in two years time. In recent interview on the Sista Shanice Show Baba Akyaaba said:
“In October (2027) we will be marking the 40th anniversary of Black History Month. And we are thinking of major events to celebrate that 40th anniversary. Black History Month is yours. It is your space.We have a whole month dedicated to us. Black History Month is yours… So I am going to appeal to you all to put your creative antennas on and try to fill 2027 October with great content. Think, think, think as how you are going to express this wonderful milestone that we have reached. Think about how you are going to organize activities.”(3)
So while many us struggle to make use of our history, our enemies are weaponising to the Nth degree as the recent “flag campaign” demonstrated. (4) In a message delivered at Alkebu-Lan Shumira on October 5th, Bro. ShakaRa Mbandaka exposed this tendency:
“The most cutting edge area of study in the white world, the area of study they are pre-occupied with, probaly more than any other area of study – it’s not renewable energy, it’s not artificial intelligence, it’s not nano technology but is in fact Maafa Revisionism.” (5)
He explained that it seeks to redefine our overstanding of our enslavement/colonisation (The Maafa) according to their interests through tropes like: Afrikans sold Afrikans into slavery; Europeans abolished the slave trade; slavery contributed little to the industrial revolution and Afrikans benefitted from slavery/colonialism. (6)
We see this at its zenith in the USA through Project 2025, in essence President Trump 2024 election manifesto, drafted by The Heritage Foundation, whose head, Kevin Roberts, who did both his masters and doctoral dissertations on slavery, particularly the Ayitian Revolution and the Nat Turner rebellion. (7) Bro. ShakaRa contends that the ultimate aim is to undermine the reparations movement and its potential to expose the white global power structure and hold it to account.
Guided by the exhortations of the likes of Baba John Henrik Clarke and Mama Assata Shakur, Bro. Shakara argued that it is incumbent on uis to recognise our history as a tool for past, present and future while embracing our history collective memory. Thus, “our responsibility is to make our history functional in relation to current plight of our people and providing ourselves with a via roadmap of where we are to where we need to be.” (8)
1) Akyaaba Addai-Sebo and Ansel Wong (Eds) (1988) Our Story – A Handbook of African History and Contemporary Issues. London Strategic Poverty Unit p. 6-8:
2) Jacqueline Goggin (1993) Carter G Woodson: A Life In Black History. Louisiana State University Press. p. 84.
3) TheSistaShaniceShow (03/09/25) Know Your Pan-African Responsibility. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3z_NASy70aw.
4) Richard Sudan (04/09/25) The far-right isn’t hiding anymore – and Black Britons must remain vigilant. https://www.voice-online.co.uk/opinion/comment/2025/09/04/far-right/
5) ShakaRa Mbandaka (05/10/25) Reviving The Vision of Black History Month. Message delivered at Alkebu-Lan Shmira
6) Ibid.
7) Lurie Daniel Favors (03/10/25) Well, well, well…Project 2025 & slavery are back after all… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlNZiLD-wJc&lc=UgzW406VxEHakEu5ja14AaABAg; Samuel G. Freedman (29/09/24) The Inconvenient Scholarship of Kevin Roberts. https://lareviewofbooks.org/article/the-inconvenient-scholarship-of-kevin-roberts/; Martin Pengelly (09/08/24) Project 2025 architect compared abortion to slavery and the Holocaust. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/article/2024/aug/09/kevin-roberts-abortion-slavery-holocaust-project-2025-trump
8) Mbandaka. Op. cit.
we ask the question:
How do we revive the vision of BLACK HISTORY MONTH?
1) Why do so many seem unclear about the origin and purpose of BHM UK?
2) Should we start planning for BHM UK@40 now?
3) What is Maafa Revisionism and what is its objective?
4) How do we make our history functional?
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, a featured columnist in The Whirlwind newspaper and author of Mosiah Daily Affirmations and Education: An African-Centred Approach To Excellence.
Bro. ShakaRa Mbandaka: the son of Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka, Father, Partner, Universal Afrikan Nationalist, Organiser, Spoken Word Activist, Writer, Cultural Scientist, Educator, Sema Tawi and graduate of the UNIA-ACL’s Course In Afrikan Philosophy (ShakaRaSpeaks.com). Bro. ShakaRa is also director of Kimbunga Media, the UK’s number 1 conscious platform (https://kimbungamedia.com/).
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