Good turnout at the Consultation Event, Monday July 17th 2006

A consultation event for Black History Month 2006 was held in Brighton on Monday 17th July for adults, children and young people predominantly, though not exclusively, from Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities. In all 32 adults and 10 children attended. We also heard from 14 people who had wished to attend but were unable to, but wanted to demonstrate their support for any work on Black History Month.

The next steps are:

• to write up the findings of the consultation and of the evaluation - report to be issued shortly
  
• to make contact with other BME voluntary and community organisations who may wish to be involved with Black History Month events planning - ongoing meetings planned for July and August 2006
  
• to continue work on planning the events

If you would like to be involved please contact us.

Sankofa

The concept of SANKOFA is derived from King Adinkera of the Akan people of West Africa. SANKOFA is expressed in the Akan language as "se wo were fi na wosan kofa a yenki."

Literally translated it means "it is not taboo to go back and fetch what you forgot".

"Sankofa" teaches us that we must go back to our roots in order to move forward. That is, we should reach back and gather the best of what our past has to teach us, so that we can achieve our full potential as we move forward. Whatever we have lost, forgotten, forgone or been stripped of, can be reclaimed, revived, preserved and perpetuated.

Visually and symbolically "Sankofa" is expressed as a mythic bird that flies forward while looking backward with an egg (symbolizing the future) in its mouth.

Source: http://www.duboislc.net/SankofaMeaning.html

What is Black History Month?

Dr. Carter G. Woodson established 'Negro History Week' in the United States in 1926. The aim was to encourage young African-Americans to become productive citizens of their country by providing them with a strong knowledge of their past. Dr. Woodson is reported to often have said that he hoped the time would come when 'Negro History Week' would be unnecessary; when all Americans would willingly recognise the contributions of Black Americans as a legitimate and integral part of the history of their country.

'Negro History Week' was originally held in the second week of February, a month of significance because of the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. This eventually grew to become Black History Month.

In Britain, Black History Month is celebrated in October and often encompasses the histories of a range of Black and Minority Ethnic communities.

Why do we need Black History Month?

Black History Month is an opportunity to recognise, commemorate and celebrate the contribution of Black and Minority Ethnic people's contributions to the Britain we all live in today. Additionally, Black History Month provides Black and Minority Ethnic individuals and communities a sense of identity, a sense of heritage and a sense of accomplishment. Furthermore, communities benefit from learning from our past in order to build a better future. Black History Month, like any other celebration of learning, should be embraced as a reflective time, shedding light on areas of history which have hitherto been overlooked or forgotten.

Welcome to Black History Month 2006 in Brighton & Hove

Those who have no record of what their forebears have accomplished lose the inspiration which comes from the teaching of biography and history

Dr. Carter G. Woodson, 1926

Black History Month (in Britain this takes place in October) is a season which has the potential to bring together disparate sections of Brighton & Hove communities in a genuine effort to promote greater community cohesion and further the drive towards race equality. This weblog will outline proposals for a sustainable Black History Month designed to truly reflect the needs of Brighton & Hove’s Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) communities as well as provide a point of departure for learning opportunities to be created throughout the year.

The key concept behind the design of the Black History Month 2006 is to empower individuals and communities to identify with and participate in event planning and hosting for this year and beyond. This is an inclusive agenda: all sections of Black and Minority Ethnic communities are invited to share their ideas, provide their input and time in order to make this year’s Black History Month in Brighton & Hove a real success.

Would you like to be involved? Please contact us.