With the world focused on Covid-19 and BLM, it is easy to forget the regular events that happen each year. With the world struggling to come to terms with a deadly disease, wars breaking out across the world, and the climate emergency becoming ever more apparent, October offers something different, and a bit of normality. Every October each year is Black History Month, when students and adults alike can find out more about the achievements of black people, that often go unnoticed.
Bancroft’s School in Woodford Green have increased their focus on Black History Month, compared to last year. Posters have been put up around the school, reminding students that this is a month dedicated to increasing people’s knowledge about Black History. Certain subjects have mentioned black people who have made important contributions to their field of expertise. The Science department have put up posters of famous black scientists, such as George Washington Carver, Mae C. Jemison, and Katherine Johnson. Several students in my year, (year 10) were pleased to discover what black scientists had achieved. “I never knew that had been black people in space,” said one, something shared by many of my fellow students. When I asked others, they also expressed surprise that Katherine Johnson was so instrumental in helping astronauts, and even that she could work at NASA at all.
As well as the posters around school, several teachers gave assemblies on Black History Month. This was very helpful, especially to younger years, who were excited at knowing new things that were not necessarily taught on the mainstream curriculum. The whole school was treated to an assembly on Learie Constantine, a black cricketer from the West Indies. He went on to become a world-class cricketer, as well as Trinidad and Tobago’s High Commissioner to the UK, as well as the UK’s first black peer in the House of Lords. My own brother in year 8 had lots to say about this. “Thanks to this assembly, I now realise how black people are often shunted from society.” Constantine has only become recognised in recent times for his achievements.
With Bancroft’s now in its half-term, I am confident that most students have woken up to the achievements of black people, and how so often they have been ostracised by a predominantly white society. With Black Lives Matter now on the forefront of people’s minds, it is good to see Black History Month also being pushed into the limelight. This sets a god precedent, where Bancroft’s can build upon this year, to make next year’s Black History Month even better.
