Black History Month 2018
This Black History Month, your BME Part-time Officer discusses the importance of celebrating achievements in black history, and has written biographies of some of his idols.
Once a year, everybody recalls and shows respect to the contributions and attainments that black people have achieved throughout history. This allows people to appreciate the development of black people’s human rights and the evolution of the culture within the UK, inspiring a great deal of variety and diversity within society. The celebrations of the contributions consist of achievements from black people of African and Caribbean decent, enabling us to highlight the significant milestones of the several black leaders within this country.
Celebrating black history empowers the new generation of youth to appreciate the privileges that they have been given from birth, allowing them to see the struggle that the older generations went through. This enhances the recognition of black leaders and what their contributions have done to form the world we live in today. However, these contributions did not come without a great amount of struggle and this can be seen as an inspiration for the youth as this sets an example that you can achieve anything and make a change anyway you see fit with hard work, consistency and determination. Not only is this an inspiration for the youth, but also an inspiration for people who are going through a struggle, providing them with a sense of hope.
Ordinarily, black ideologies and communities are portrayed in a negative way in social media and news stories. The school drop-out rates, the penury rates, the number of arrests from knife and gun crime and possession of drugs are only a few examples of what is continuously highlighted over social media and the news. In addition, people have limited expectations to what a black person can achieve, restricted to the discriminatory stereotypes. However, Black History Month concentrates on the fact that black people do not have to succumb to the stereotypes displayed on television, demonstrating black excellence and giving the recognition deserved to black people throughout history.
This time of the year is often criticised and ignored by members of the public because some people feel that a whole month should not be dedicated to one race and their history as it is not fair. On the other hand, others believe one month is not even remotely enough and Black History Month should be taught in schools and celebrated throughout the year. This is so we do not have the chance to ignore the celebrations of black history for the remaining months. In addition to this, this event is an opportunity for everybody to celebrate the diversity within the country, as this is a set time within the year to appreciate and admire how the country has developed from where it was to where it is today. Taking time to see the progress of our society helps to prevent the past mistakes that have been made, enabling us to learn from them and create awareness so that we can have a better society for the future generation.
The milestone of creating Black History Month in 1926 is just an example of how we can celebrate the contributions of diversity within this country. This country is filled with diversity from a variety of races, all contributing to the world we live in today. Therefore Black History Month can be illustrated and as an inspiration and a motive to think of unique ways in raising awareness and celebrating the achievements of several races within our community.
Barack Obama
Barack Obama became the 44th president of the United States of America. However, he set a milestone as he was the first African-American to attain the position of Office in 2008. He graduated at Harvard law school and exercised constitutional law in Chicago before starting a career in politics in 1996. Before becoming president, he announced his running for candidacy in 2004 for the U.S senate, becoming the third African American elected to the U.S senate.
Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks was a 42-year-old Seamstress and a Secretary of the Montgomery chapter of the NAACP. She was arrested for disobeying the city’s racial segregation authoritative order, it being that black people would have to give up their seats for white passengers if the seats at the front of the bus were full. Soon after she was detained, an activist corporation led by Martin Luther King Jr initiated a boycott of the city’s bus company. 70% of the bus company’s passengers during that time were black citizens and most of the citizens were in favour of the boycott, hence the affects were almost instant.
Martin Luther King Jr
On August 28th ,1963, Martin Luther King Jr was the final civil rights leader to address the crowd assembled near the Lincoln memorial after marching from the Washington monument. Appealing for voting rights, abolishing racial segregation and pleaded for equal employment opportunities for black people. Martin Luther King Jr expressed the struggle black Americans faced daily and believed in non-violent methods to put forth his ideology onto others. “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.”
Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson, born in Georgia, came from facing a court-martial in the U.S army for refusing to move to the back of a segregated bus to be the first African American to play on a major league team and overcome the colour line. April 15th ,1947, was Jackie Robinsons first game for the Los Angeles Dodgers professional baseball team, having a successful early career winning the ‘Rookie of the year’ award and continued his career leading the team to accomplish 6 championships and a world series triumph. After Robinson’s success rose, he began to address the problems on black equality by speaking out, testifying against the House Un-American Activities Committee to dispute communism to African Americans.
Oprah Winfrey
Born and raised by a single mother in Mississippi, Oprah was involved in television news before she obtained a morning talk show in Chicago in 1984. Within 2 years, Oprah began her own television talk show which aired nation-wide and resulted in being the highest rated talk show ever, The Oprah Winfrey Show. The Oprah Winfrey Show was admired for the variety of issues that were addressed and because it was such a success, it turned into a one-woman triumph. This led Oprah to proceed into acting, film and Tv production and publishing. Oprah Winfrey proceeded to becoming the first black female billionaire and she used her fame and success to encourage black female writers.
Colin Powell
Colin Powell was the first African American to be a chairman of the Joint Chiefs whilst being a Vietnam Veteran and an Army general. Powell took part in initiating the first Persian Gulf war when George Bush was in office. In 2001, it was decided by Bush to make Powell the secretary of state, making him the first African American to be the highest ranked ambassador. Colin Powell aimed to aid the United States invasion of Iraq in 2003. After George Bush was elected for a second for-year term, he separated from the Republican party and supported Barrack Obama.
Travis Brown,
BME Part-time Officer
Mis Hanes Pobl Dduon 2018
Am Fis Hanes Pobl Dduon eleni, mae eich Swyddog BME Rhan-amser yn trafod pwysigrwydd cydnabod llwyddiannau mewn hanes pobl duon, ac wedi ysgrifennu bywgraffiadau am rai pobl dduon eiconig.
Once a year, everybody recalls and shows respect to the contributions and attainments that black people have achieved throughout history. This allows people to appreciate the development of black people’s human rights and the evolution of the culture within the UK, inspiring a great deal of variety and diversity within society. The celebrations of the contributions consist of achievements from black people of African and Caribbean decent, enabling us to highlight the significant milestones of the several black leaders within this country.
Celebrating black history empowers the new generation of youth to appreciate the privileges that they have been given from birth, allowing them to see the struggle that the older generations went through. This enhances the recognition of black leaders and what their contributions have done to form the world we live in today. However, these contributions did not come without a great amount of struggle and this can be seen as an inspiration for the youth as this sets an example that you can achieve anything and make a change anyway you see fit with hard work, consistency and determination. Not only is this an inspiration for the youth, but also an inspiration for people who are going through a struggle, providing them with a sense of hope.
Ordinarily, black ideologies and communities are portrayed in a negative way in social media and news stories. The school drop-out rates, the penury rates, the number of arrests from knife and gun crime and possession of drugs are only a few examples of what is continuously highlighted over social media and the news. In addition, people have limited expectations to what a black person can achieve, restricted to the discriminatory stereotypes. However, Black History Month concentrates on the fact that black people do not have to succumb to the stereotypes displayed on television, demonstrating black excellence and giving the recognition deserved to black people throughout history.
This time of the year is often criticised and ignored by members of the public because some people feel that a whole month should not be dedicated to one race and their history as it is not fair. On the other hand, others believe one month is not even remotely enough and Black History Month should be taught in schools and celebrated throughout the year. This is so we do not have the chance to ignore the celebrations of black history for the remaining months. In addition to this, this event is an opportunity for everybody to celebrate the diversity within the country, as this is a set time within the year to appreciate and admire how the country has developed from where it was to where it is today. Taking time to see the progress of our society helps to prevent the past mistakes that have been made, enabling us to learn from them and create awareness so that we can have a better society for the future generation.
The milestone of creating Black History Month in 1926 is just an example of how we can celebrate the contributions of diversity within this country. This country is filled with diversity from a variety of races, all contributing to the world we live in today. Therefore Black History Month can be illustrated and as an inspiration and a motive to think of unique ways in raising awareness and celebrating the achievements of several races within our community.
Barack Obama
Barack Obama became the 44th president of the United States of America. However, he set a milestone as he was the first African-American to attain the position of Office in 2008. He graduated at Harvard law school and exercised constitutional law in Chicago before starting a career in politics in 1996. Before becoming president, he announced his running for candidacy in 2004 for the U.S senate, becoming the third African American elected to the U.S senate.
Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks was a 42-year-old Seamstress and a Secretary of the Montgomery chapter of the NAACP. She was arrested for disobeying the city’s racial segregation authoritative order, it being that black people would have to give up their seats for white passengers if the seats at the front of the bus were full. Soon after she was detained, an activist corporation led by Martin Luther King Jr initiated a boycott of the city’s bus company. 70% of the bus company’s passengers during that time were black citizens and most of the citizens were in favour of the boycott, hence the affects were almost instant.
Martin Luther King Jr
On August 28th ,1963, Martin Luther King Jr was the final civil rights leader to address the crowd assembled near the Lincoln memorial after marching from the Washington monument. Appealing for voting rights, abolishing racial segregation and pleaded for equal employment opportunities for black people. Martin Luther King Jr expressed the struggle black Americans faced daily and believed in non-violent methods to put forth his ideology onto others. “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the colour of their skin but by the content of their character.”
Jackie Robinson
Jackie Robinson, born in Georgia, came from facing a court-martial in the U.S army for refusing to move to the back of a segregated bus to be the first African American to play on a major league team and overcome the colour line. April 15th ,1947, was Jackie Robinsons first game for the Los Angeles Dodgers professional baseball team, having a successful early career winning the ‘Rookie of the year’ award and continued his career leading the team to accomplish 6 championships and a world series triumph. After Robinson’s success rose, he began to address the problems on black equality by speaking out, testifying against the House Un-American Activities Committee to dispute communism to African Americans.
Oprah Winfrey
Born and raised by a single mother in Mississippi, Oprah was involved in television news before she obtained a morning talk show in Chicago in 1984. Within 2 years, Oprah began her own television talk show which aired nation-wide and resulted in being the highest rated talk show ever, The Oprah Winfrey Show. The Oprah Winfrey Show was admired for the variety of issues that were addressed and because it was such a success, it turned into a one-woman triumph. This led Oprah to proceed into acting, film and Tv production and publishing. Oprah Winfrey proceeded to becoming the first black female billionaire and she used her fame and success to encourage black female writers.
Colin Powell
Colin Powell was the first African American to be a chairman of the Joint Chiefs whilst being a Vietnam Veteran and an Army general. Powell took part in initiating the first Persian Gulf war when George Bush was in office. In 2001, it was decided by Bush to make Powell the secretary of state, making him the first African American to be the highest ranked ambassador. Colin Powell aimed to aid the United States invasion of Iraq in 2003. After George Bush was elected for a second for-year term, he separated from the Republican party and supported Barrack Obama.
Travis Brown,
Swyddog Rhan-amser BME