Black History month Rochdale

Diigo

Rochdale Youth and Community Service will be hosting a week of activities for all, during National Black History Month.  As always we will be holding these celebrations during the school half-term holiday 27th until 31st October.

We still get asked, “Why Black History Month?”

Black History Month was started in 1926 by Historian Carter G.Woodson. Woodson chose the second week of February because it marked the birthdays of two Americans who greatly influenced the lives and social conditions of African Americans, (former President Abraham Lincoln and abolitionist Fredrick Douglas). Many people recognised that there is a huge gap in the National Curriculum history syllabus in British schools.

From the fifteenth to the twentieth century, Britain had invaded and colonised every continent in the world.  Consequently, the history of many countries, from the Caribbean to New Zealand, became part of British history.  However, the original history of these people, who have contributed so much to the culture and prosperity of modern Britain, has not been included in the history syllabus taught in schools.

As a result, both black and white British historians created a Black History Month, (in October) to be held each year and to fill the information gap.  

Black History Month enables everyone to learn more about the contribution to British History that has been made by the millions of ordinary Africans from the fifteenth century to the present day.

The clothes we wear, the food we eat, the structure and furnishings of our buildings, the medicine and technology we use and, perhaps, above all the music we listen to – all these things we take for granted – have been influenced and changed by the history of Black People.

Black History Week in Rochdale is a celebration of the diversity and richness of the countries of Africa and the Caribbean, and a small acknowledgement of their immense contribution to our present way of life.

At the Rochdale Black History Week celebrations this year there will be many workshops, performances and events:
    Dance classes and performances   

• Drama
• Drumming
• Mask-making
• Body costume
• Book making
• Food and cooking

    
At the end of the week there will be a performance and great Fancy Dress Masked Ball with food available.

You can come to all or just a few events.

The celebrations are for everyone because Black History is not a separate ‘foreign’ history – it is a vital part of the history of everyone in Britain.

Diigo