“A people without the

knowledge of their past

history, origin and culture

is like a tree without roots.”

-Marcus Garvey

Contents

Black History: More than just a month

Black History in a word

The Story of Black History

How you can Celebrate Black History

Intersectional Histories

Black History Events to Inspire: North to South

Black British Activists and Revolutionaries

Model Article for your Students’ Union Paper

Black History Contacts

The term ‘Black’ is used as a positive, political definition borne out the struggle

against colonialism and for justice and equality. Whilst we acknowledge the

diversity within and between African, Arab, Asian and Caribbean communities, we

also recognise that all Black communities are united by our common experience of under-representation, racism and discrimination.

Editor: Malia Bouattia

Acknowledgements: Abdi Mohamed, Minda Burgos-Lukes, BEMA (University of

Birmingham Guild of Students), University of Bradford Students’ Union, University College

London Union (UCLU), Mma Yeebo, NUS Black Students’ Campaign Committee

Published by: National Union of Students (UK) NUS HQ, Macadam House, 275 Gray's Inn

Road, London WC1X 8QB . www.nusconnect.org.uk/black

© Malia Bouattia 2014 National Union of Students UK, NUS HQ, Macadam House, 275

Gray's Inn Road, London WC1X 8QB.

Whilst every effort has been made to ensure the contents of the guide are accurate,

changes may occur which dates some of the information, in addition to the possibility of

human error. The contents may not reflect the policy of NUS or the NUS Black Students’

Campaign. No part of this publication may be reproduced without express permission of the

editors.

To keep up with the Campaign during Black History Month and to find out about events that

are being hosted across Britain here are the ways to stay in touch.

Twitter: http://twitter.com/nusBSC

e-update list: https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/bsc

Facebook: http://facebook.com/nusBSC NUS Connect: http://www.nusconnect.org.uk/campaigns/black/

BLACK HISTORY: MORE THAN

JUST A MONTH

October marks Black History Month, and whilst

it is a time for us to recognise and celebrate the immense contributions that people of African, Arab, Asian and Caribbean heritage make to

humanity, we should not be limiting this to just one month.

As a Campaign, we stress the need to celebrate Black History because of the sense of empowerment it brings. We are still far from a post-racial world and in a society which continues to marginalise and discriminate against our communities, it is important that we look back in order to understand why we must continue to fight against racism and all social barriers.

Given our experiences of underrepresentation, it is also just as vital that Black Students are the ones to lead on BHM events held by the Students’ Unions. Self-organisation is a crucial element of liberation, especially given that we are constantly faced with a revised history of our experiences. When we are excluded from this process, our history is reduced to slavery and endless oppression.

In an ideal world, the month would not be necessary, because society, educational establishments and the national curriculum would fully recognise and appreciate the contribution of Black people throughout history. Sadly that is not the case. Therefore, October serves as a period of renewal for Black communities to connect with their people, cultures and recognize how much has been achieved so that we are inspired to continue creating such spaces and discussions.

As you Black Students’ Campaign this is just some of the support we can offer you:

The Black Students’ Officer and Committee will be touring the country so if you’d like to request a speaker from

the Campaign, make sure to get in touch.

We’ve produced interviews and video footage about the importance of Black History and why it is…’More than

just a Month’. Link:

The Campaign will be organising a national Black History event in London, find out more on the ‘NUS Black

Students’ Campaign’ Facebook page or contact the Black Students’ Officer: malia.bouattia@nus.org.uk.

Put the dates of our flagship annual Winter Conference down in your diary, it will be held in London on the 29th-

30th November. Look out for updates in the coming weeks!

Follow us on social media for all the latest news, info and resources from the Campaign and our Black History

Month celebrations.

Black History Month packs which include posters, handbook, materials from other Black organisations and groups

The significance of Black history should never be overlooked, as the struggles of Black communities worldwide have shaped the world. Our sacrifices should never be forgotten. Our long battle for a better world and our belief in equality should always be remembered and celebrated – we truly stand on the shoulders of giants.

In unity,

Malia Bouattia

NUS Black Students Officers

Malia.Bouattia@nus.org.uk

BLACK HISTORY IN A WORD

Your NUS Black Students’ Campaign Committee 2014/15 describing what Black History means to them…

Zekarias Negussue Shakira Martin Sayed Alkadiri Shabina Raja

MILITIANT ANCESTRY INSPIRING

POWERFUL

PRIDE

Saifullah Maishanu Sam Mujunga

EMPOWERMENT

Samayya Afzal

IDENTITY

INCLUSIVITY

Sanjay Lago

Mariam Guled Opeyemi Onasanya Maahwish Mirza Kelechi Chioba

INSPIRATION HERITAGE CULTURE CONNECTION

Ian Antawi

PERSPECTIVE

Ibrahim Abdille

COMMUNITY

Hassun El Zafar

REMINISCE

Ari Diaz-Cebreiro

JUSTICIA

Areeb Ullah

#BLACKPOWER

Jade Foster

CULTIVATION

Beverly Mettle-Sesay

COMMEMORATION

Edna Chirwa

REMEMBERANCE

Ashok Kumar

REPARATIONS

Saint Owubokiri

CELEBRATION

Candice Armah

VITAL

Adam Elliott-

Cooper

REGENERATION

Rayhan Uddin

SIGNIFICANCE

THE STORY OF BLACK

HISTORY

Black History Month in the UK Akyaaba Addai Sebbo is widely regarded as the instigator of Black History Month in the UK. Addai worked with Ken Livingstone at the Greater London Council (GLC) as

co-ordinator of Special Projects. The first event was held on 1st October 1987, when the GLC hosted Dr Maulana Karenga from the US to mark

the contributions of Black people throughout history. Addai began thinking about celebrations of Black history, and drew up a plan to recognise the contributions of African, Asian, Caribbean

and Arab people to the economic, cultural and political life in London and the UK. Since 1987 was also part of African Jubilee

Year, other boroughs began to formally institute a Black History Month in the UK.

How BHM is celebrated in the UK Black History Month is open to participation by everyone and is ideally developed,

delivered and managed as an educational and historical awareness experience by Black people and should be shared by everyone as world history.

Initiatives take place across the UK with voluntary groups, local authorities, NHS services, museums and libraries often taking a lead in

planning events. All projects use the skills and experiences of the local workforce and community in the planning and

delivery. Smaller groups do equally good work on limited budgets, e.g. running supplementary schools, which incorporate history, or incorporating the Black History Month

theme into existing events. There is always a rich programme of events: concerts, historical walks, theatrical

productions, comedy and panel debates are a few examples, but all have history as an integral part of their purpose.

Some employers, especially local authorities, can earmark specific budgets, which

groups can apply for at the beginning of each financial year. Other councils pick up and absorb publicity or venue hire costs in some cases.

The origins of Black History Month

Carter G Woodson initiated the Negro History Week in 1926, which then became Black History Month. He chose February because the birthdays of the two influential

figures — Abraham Lincoln, US president and Frederick Douglass — who he believed to have impacted on the conditions of the “Negro”, fell in February. The late African-American writer, John Hernik

Clarke wrote: ‘If we are to change tomorrow, we are going to have to look back with some courage, and warm our hands on the revolutionary fires of those who

came before us.’ This quote was a catalyst for Addai’s plans at the GLC in 1987.

Why October?

Black History Month runs throughout the month of October. There has long been concern about the experience of Black children in the UK, and this was a key factor

in setting October as the Black History Month. It is at the beginning of a new academic year and can instil pride and identity into young Black learners. The

month is also significant within the African cultural calendar because the autumn equinox in Africa coincides with the harvest period, and is a time of plenty. October is also a period of tolerance and reconciliation in African culture. Black history is

therefore a reconnection with the African source, hence the Black History Month symbol of Sankofa — learning from the past — with the benefit of hindsight.

Latest news and events As the stature of Black History Month grows, there are national Black History Month

publications to bring together and document the full diversity of events taking place in towns and cities around Britain. Some such magazines are Black History Month Magazine, Black Heritage Today and Black History 365. They are available free from

libraries across the UK. See the links section for details.

IDEAS TO CELEBRATE BHM

Black History Month gives us a unique opportunity to empower and educate each other so that we can develop a greater understanding of one another as a diverse society.

So what exactly can Students’ Unions do? Here are some Ideas for your campus! Students’ Unions and ordinary Black students can do a lot to celebrate Black

History—below you’ll find some tips and ideas for what you can do on your campus. Remember that you can celebrate Black history anytime in the year—so use these ideas all year round.

When organising any events, make sure you are engaging Black women, LGBT and

disabled students. To guarantee attendance at the events, publicise well in advance, ensure you utilise all the Black clubs and societies, make sure the event is inclusive, intersectional and it doesn't harm to advertise free refreshments on your

publicity!

Here are some Ideas for your campus!

• Have a Black History Month stall at your Fresher’s Fayre with info on how to get involved and details of who to approach. Contact the Campaign for free

materials! · Campaign to increase support for BHM in your union by creating a Black

Students’ Officer in your Union — pass a motion at your Union Council/Executive committee meeting.

· Plan a collective BHM by holding a meeting between all Black societies and clubs

i.e. the African and Caribbean Society, Indian society, Pakistani Society, Arab

Society. This will increase the amount of Black students you engage, and the resources!

• Invite the Great Debate Tour on to campus to discuss topical issues affecting the Black communities. Discuss racism in education, anonymous marking, high

dropout rates etc. Other popular discussions include Stop and Search, police brutality and Black people in the media.

• Hold a celebration of success awards/dinner for Black students — and their

supporters. • Contact Love Music Hate Racism to organise a music gig at your union. Or put

on a bhangra or hip-hop night.

• Contact local museums and ask for loans of artefacts, replicas or materials and hold an exhibition.

• Create a photo exhibition on Black achievements in arts/science (Nobel Laureates, inventors etc).

• Hold a spoken word night — historically used to reflect on topical issues.

· If your resources and funding is low, focus your Black History Month activities

within a week. · Make a request to your student radio station to invite black activists for interviews

throughout the month.

• Ask different societies to perform at a fund raising evening.

• Pass AGM and union council motions on celebrating diversity, mandating a yearly Black History Month celebration and for funding to be put aside.

• Hold peaceful demonstrations/vigils in remembrance of Black history — i.e.

the Montgomery bus strike and Mike Brown. • Bring politicians and journalists to talk on topical Black issues such as the war

on terror, the role of the IMF and World Bank.

• Promote international campaigns that tackle injustice. Host panel discussions on the illegal occupation of Palestine. The Campaign and our affiliated organisations such as War on Want and the Palestine Solidarity Campaign can

help provide materials.

• Show Black films (from Africa, Asia, the Middle-East, Latin America and the Caribbean, and documentaries like Injustice, Sarafina or 500 Years Later).

• Run an international food fair or market in a central venue by engaging your international students.

• Put up wall displays and write features in your college newspaper about Black peoples’ contributions in a range of fields, e.g. medicine, science, sport and politics.

• Organise a trip to visit Brixton’s Black Cultural Archives or Liverpool’s

International Slavery Museum. If you want to talk though your ideas, or want to let us know about events

you are putting on in your union, we can help promote these on our website and through our networks. Just email Malia.Bouattia@nus.org.uk.

INTERSECTIONAL HISTORIES

Black History Month is an opportunity to celebrate the immense diversity and inspirational leadership shown by Black Women, Black LGBT and Black Disabled people in the struggle against racism and underrepresentation.

Here are some tips and advice on how to make sure that your Black History Month events are inclusive, empowering and INTERSECTIONAL.

Black Women Herstory

Rosa Parks, bell hooks, Salma Yaqoob Wangari Maathai, Cynthia McKinney, Olive Morris, Arundhati Roy and countless others have made incredible contributions to the advancement

of the Black majority of humanity.

• You could host a joint meeting with your campus Women’s or Feminist Society, celebrating the achievements and struggles of Black Women throughout herstory.

• Host a Black women’s-only event to discuss not only the

issues facing Black women today but also their incredible achievements. Invite speakers from Black Feminists and the Black Women’s Forum UK.

• Fundraise for Southall Black Sisters or other local community groups that fight for

the rights of Black women.

Pride in our LGBT Sisters, Brothers and non-binary siblings

Angela Davis, Linda Bellos, James Baldwin Bayard Rustin, Audre Lorde, Joe Amaechi, Margaret Cho, Tracy Chapman have been inspirations for countless people and their activism

continues to raise consciousness of the struggle for Black and LGBT liberation.

• Unite together Black LGBT organisations such as UK Black

Pride, Safra Project and Imaan with your campus LGBT society to celebrate Black LGBT people.

Black Disabled History The 2012 Paralympics were an opportunity to witness the

incredible sporting prowess of Black Disabled people from across the world. Ade Adepitan is one of Britain’s most

famous Black athletes. Dyslexic Muhammad Ali spoke the immortal words: “float like a butterfly, sting like a bee” and remains the most famous boxer of all time.

• Work with Black Mental Health UK to put the issue of Black mental health on the agenda.

BLACK HISTORY EVENTS TO

INSPIRE: NORTH TO SOUTH

MIDLANDS: University of Birmingham Guild of Students

Organised by BEMA (the Black & Ethnic Minorities’ Association), the University of Birmingham Guild of Students Black History Month featured a diverse range of

events covering the struggles of Black people past and present, successes of these communities in the UK and across the world.

The line-up of events included:

Black History Month launch event focusing on Nigerian Independence Day and the progress of Black nations after liberating themselves from colonialism.

Film screening of Black Power Mixtape documentary looking at the history of

Radical Black movements in the US, which includes archival interviews with key figures including Angela Davis and Stokely Carmichael.

A discussion with former Black Panthers and radical community organisers Jo’Nina and Lorenzo Ervin on mass imprisonment, racism and global anti-

racist solidarity.

A student-led event alongside members of the Birmingham Women’s, LGBTQ

and Disabled Students’ Associations speaking on intersectionality and how racism interacts with other societal oppressions.

‘Still ain’t no Black in the Union Jack’, a panel discussion on institutional

racism in Higher Education, the Police, Mental Health services and

Immigration services, with a variety of activists engaged with campaigns in defence of Black communities from the racism of the state.

A collaborative launch event with the West Midlands Pan-African Students’ Union.

A performance night with

spoken word, singing and

instrumentation from members of

BEMA.

London & South: University College London Union (UCLU)

UCLU’s Black History Month included events spanning from cultural celebration and critical subjects, highlighting Black history of the past and present, and showcasing

diverse creative contributions made by Black communities. Events hosted:

A ‘Living History’ Exhibition featuring modern Black figures making

contributions to Black history. ‘The Slam’ performance talent show with professional judges, as well as

spoken word and comedy events.

Film screenings including Sapphire, Mississippi Burning, London the Modern Babylon, Skin, The First Grader and A Separation.

An international food market. Word Up: an evening of spoken word. Fusion: a showcase event with UCLU clubs and societies.

Raw Talent: launching a Black mentoring scheme to challenge stereotypes and encourage Black attendance.

A series of talks critically engaging subjects relating to Black communities. LOL Comedy: turning out some of the most hilarious Urban comics

North:

University of Bradford

Events included:

Celebrate BLACK HISTORY MONTH with the University of Bradford Africa Arts Society

The Great Debate Tour: Bradford ACS join York Acs , Leeds Uni ACS, Leeds

Met ACS, Hull ACS and Sheffield ACS to bring you the biggest educational tour on the planet at the moment.

FILM NIGHT & DISCUSSION: Racism a History - The colour of money, A 3 Part BBC documentary, its first episode begins by assessing the implications of the relationship between Europe, Africa and the Americas in the 15th

century. It considers how racist ideas and practices developed in key religious and secular institutions, and how they showed up in writings by

European philosophers Aristotle and Immanuel Kant. The Black Power Movement and the Revolution. This event will explore the radical history of the Black Power Movement in

the United States and their struggle for the liberation of African Americans from the brutal, racist and imperialist American system. As well as looking

back at our shared history, we also seek to apply the same methods to today living in the UK in our own struggle against institutional racism, police brutality, mass incarceration and prejudice.

Film Showing: Cry Freedom The Origins of Salsa Dancing (presentation)

Heritage Bus Tour Drumming workshop. Book Launch: The Lions Heart by Lionel Tshomba. Set in the city of Bradford,

UK. Two brothers, tied by fate; rich in money and poor in worry cannot help

but to confront each other in pitiful war. Book Launch: When the Soul Awakens by Dumi Senda (International Poet,

Children's author, Storyteller and Humanity's Last Breathtarian) Affirming African Identity, Celebrating Human Beauty.

BLACK BRITISH ACTIVISTS

AND REVOLUTIONARIES The NUS Black Students’ Campaign has compiled a list of current Black

activists and political representatives who are playing leading roles in increasing Black representation, fighting racism, Islamophobia and fascism, challenging cuts and campaigning for peace and justice for the

Black majority of humanity.

This list is not definitive by any means but will hopefully provide some inspiring examples of Black leadership in the struggle for justice.

Arzu Merali is a human rights campaigner, former journalist

whose topics of expertise include Islamophobia and

postcolonialism. Arzu is the founder and director of research at the

Islamic Human Rights Commission - a campaign, research and

advocacy organisation that works to counter human rights abuses

and discrimination, from an Islamic perspective.

Stuart Hall was an influential cultural theorist

and academic who served as the director of the Centre for

Contemporary Cultural Studies at the University of Birmingham.

He was a founding editor of the New Left Review publication,

using it as a platform to further discussion around contemporary

British activism towards a better understanding of race and power

structures within society. The effect his work had on academia,

cultural studies, Black politics and the British Left-wing, continues

to resonate today.

Olive Morris is the co-founder of the Brixton Black Women’s

Group and the Organisation of Women of Asian and African

Descent (OWAAD), who was also part of the British Black Panther

Movement. In police custody, she was taunted and made to strip

to prove she was a woman. Olive campaigned for access to

education, decent living conditions for Black communities and

fought against state and police repression and brutality.

Assed Baig is a trained broadcast and print journalist specialising in

international politics and current affairs. Assed has worked around

the world including the Central African Republic, Kashmir, Myanmar

and Libya for organisations including the BBC and currently as a

correspondent for an international news agency.

Malaka Mohammed is a Palestinian activist and

student from Gaza currently attending the University of Sheffield on scholarship, and a freelance writer. Malaka was elected

Education Officer of the University of Sheffield Students’ Union with the highest number of votes in its history.

Zena Edwards is a Writer/poet performer, facilitator, creative

project developer and vocalist, who has travelled extensively

around the UK, the US, Africa and Europe. Zena was nominated

for the Arts Foundation Award for Performance Poetry 2007 and

won the Hidden Creatives Award 2012.

Heidi Mirza is a Professor of Race, Faith & Culture at Goldsmiths

University, London, and one of the first Black woman professors in

the UK. Established the Runnymede Collection at the BCA (Black

Cultural Archives), a race-relations archive documenting the late

20th Century civil rights struggle for Multicultural Britain.

Hamja Ahsan is a co-ordinator of the Free Talha campaign who campaigned against the extradition

of his brother, British-born poet Talha Ahsan, to a supermax prison in the USA without trial or charge, while also raising awareness of

issues around solitary confinement and necessary reforms of extradition law through the use of art, poetry, film and music. The Free Talha campaign was shortlisted for Liberty’s Human Rights

Award 2013.

Shanell Johnson was the first ever full-time Black Students’

Officer in a Students’ Union in the UK, at UCL Union. Shanell has

also long been involved in community activism, including founding

and serving as Chair of Newham Borough Youth Parliament, and as

keynote speaker for a conference by the Commission for Racial

Equality.

Rosemary Campbell-Stephens is an education

activist who has had roles throughout the sector including

adviser for review of institutions, racial equality and development

in London secondary schools, and consultant under the Education

and Skills Department overseeing an initiative aimed at

increasing the school attainment of students of African Caribbean

descent in secondary school. Rosemary’s work has spanned

government-level initiatives to community-led programmes

including co-running a Saturday school for children of African

Caribbean descent for over a decade.

Nathan Richards is a writer, video journalist, digital archivist, media producer, researcher and journalist who has produced work for the

Africa Center, Black Cultural Archives, The Afiya Trust, and the Royal African Society. Directed the documentary ‘Absent from the Academy’

on the absence of Black Professors in UK higher education institutions and addressing the effects of this under-representation on students, academic culture and the educational system.

Reni Eddo-Lodge is a writer, journalist and Black feminist

whose writing focuses on racism, intersectionality and Black

feminism. Reni has contributed to The Voice, The Guardian,

The Independent, openDemocracy, The F Word and New Left

Project and was formerly a contributing editor at the Feminist

Times.

Sofia Ahmed is a freelance journalist and activist who launched the

‘Muslimah Pride’ campaign against the Islamophobic feminist group

Femen, which gained international attention and was featured on Al

Jazeera’s The Stream. Through Muslimah Pride, also led a

successful campaign against the decision by a Birmingham college

to ban students from wearing the niqab, against opposition from the

UK Prime Minister.

BENJAMIN ZEPHANIAH is a writer and poet. He featured on The Times list of

Britain's top 50 post-war writers in 2008 and his work has gained

international prestige.

AZAD ALI is the chair of the Muslim Safety Forum and an elected vice chair of Unite Against

Fascism. Ali works at MEND, an organisation dedicated to empowering Muslims to participate in the political process and in the media, including increasing voter registration and challenging

Islamophobia in society.

BARONESS VALERIE AMOS is the current UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator and was the first Black woman to ever to sit in the British cabinet.

LINDA BELLOS is best known as a gay and political

rights activist, and former leader of Lambeth Council—where she made history as the first Black woman leader of a local authority. As chair of London’s Strategic Policy Unit in the 1980s, she helped

introduce Black History Month.

AKALA is a MOBO award-winning rapper who uses his music to highlight racism, sexism, class and inequality in Britain.

SABBY DHALU is the Joint Secretary of Unite Against Fascism since 2003 and was previously an anti-racist activist in the National Assembly Against

Racism for over 10 years. Dhalu is also the Secretary of anti-racist campaign One Society Many Cultures.

GARY YOUNGE is an award-winning journalist for The Guardian and currently based in the US. Younge is renowned for his

articles exposing racism and is considered an expert on politics of the US.

PETER HERBERT OBE is a barrister, chair of the Society of Black Lawyers and was appointed as one of the first Black judges in Britain

in 1996. Herbert also chairs the independent Race Hate Crimes Forum, helping to combat racial violence. He was awarded the American Bar Association diversity award in 2002 and was appointed an

Employment Tribunal chair and a recorder in the Crown Court.

ZITA HOLBOURNE is a poet, artist, and a leading trade unionist in the PCS Union who also sits on the TUC Race Relations Committee.

Holbourne won the ‘Role Model’ award at the National Diversity Awards 2012 and co-founded Black Activists Rising Against Cuts

(BARAC).

SIMON WOOLLEY is the director and one of the founders of Operation Black Vote and a commissioner for race at the Equality

and Human Rights Commission. SALMA YAQOOB gained popular recognition as a

leading figure in the Stop the War Coalition and known for her courageous opposition to the US-led ‘War On Terror’. In 2006 Yaqoob

was elected as a local councillor in her home of Birmingham and was, as leader of the RESPECT Party, the only Black leader of a British political party.

LEE JASPER has campaigned against racism and inequality in Britain

for over 30 years and has played prominent roles in organisations such as the 1990 Trust, Operation Black Vote and is a co-founder of

Black Activists Rising Against Cuts (BARAC). Jasper has been a leading figure in challenging police racism.

DOREEN LAWRENCE and NEVILLE LAWRENCE fought an 18-year battle in their quest for

justice for their son Stephen, taking on the institutional racism of the police force and the political establishment. We must commend the strength, determination and leadership

the Lawrence family have shown. In 1998 Doreen and Neville Lawrence helped set up the Stephen Lawrence Charitable Trust that

supports hundreds of aspiring architects during their studies. ANNA LO was elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly for South

Belfast in the 2007 Assembly election. The first

CLAUDE MORAES MEP before becoming a Member of

the European Parliament, was the director of the Joint Council for the Welfare of Immigrants and was declared ‘MEP of the Year’ for his work on Justice and Civil Liberties in 2011.

CHI ONWURAH MP is the first African woman elected to the

British Parliament and was heavily involved in the Anti-Apartheid Movement. She is also Newcastle’s first ever Black

MP.

PHYLL OPOKU-GYIMAH is a co-founder and Trustee of the award-winning Black LGBT organisation UK Black Pride in 2005.

Opoku-Gyimah was the PCS’ only Black woman Negotiator in the area of Law and Justice bargaining before being appointed PCS’ Head of Equality, Health and Safety.

YASMIN QURESHI MP was the joint first Muslim woman elected to the British Parliament in the 2010 general election and was Bolton’s first woman MP. She previously advised former London Mayor Ken

Livingstone on human rights. Qureshi was active in the Association of Muslim Lawyers.

MAYOR LUTFUR RAHMAN of Tower Hamlets is Britain’s first Muslim executive Mayor. Winning a strong mandate with over

50% of the vote, Mayor Rahman’s administration launched a scheme to fill the gap left by the government’s scrapping of the national Educational Maintenance Scheme (EMA).

BELLAVIA RIBEIRO-ADDY sits on the National Committee for anti-racist campaign One Society Many Cultures and is an activist in the oldest organisation of African, Asian and Caribbean lawyers in the UK —

the Society of Black Lawyers.

MARCIA RIGG-SAMUEL and SAMANTHA RIGG-DAVID have dedicated the past four years seeking justice for their

brother Sean Rigg who died while in police custody. They are leading figures in the United Families and Friends Campaign

and fight for police accountability and justice for all those who have lost their lives in custody.

WILF SULLIVAN is a leading trade unionist at the Trades Union

Congress and since 2004 has been the TUC Race Equality Officer. Sullivan represents the TUC at the European Trades Union Congress on

migrants and has been an active voice against racism and xenophobia.

AVA VIDAL is a pro-Palestinian activist, an award-winning comedian and writer, as well as a patron of the Show Racism The Red Card

campaign. Vidal has used many of her performances to highlight racism in Britain.

Dr. Victoria Showunmi is an Associate

Professor in the department of Lifelong and Comparative Education at the Institute of Education at the University of London. She is an active community activist who is currently working on a project to

support Black Women across education. She is a member of the Runnymede Trust – 360 and a lead mentor for BAME Women Race

to the Top Mentoring Circle.

Afroze Zaidi-Jivraj is a researcher of Islam in the West. She is a community activist working against all forms of Islamophobia,

and blogger on Huffington Post UK. Afroze was also the winner of Media Diversified’s Eight Women awards.

Taher Gulamhussein is a Know Your Rights

Advocate, Researcher and Campaigner at the Islamic Human Rights Commission and Coordinator at Netpol's Community Monitoring Project. Taher has been at the forefront of challenging policing of Muslim

communities as well as monitoring raids and protest policing.

Dr. Rob Berkeley was the Director of The Runnymede Trust, the UK’s leading independent race equality think tank. He also

worked for Stonewall and serves as trustee for both Equality and Diversity Foundation and The Baring Foundation. He is a Senior Adviser

to the British Council, a member of the Paul Hamlyn Foundation Social Justice Committee, and Chair of the Advisory Group of the National Resource Centre for Supplementary Education.

Rafeef Ziadah is a Palestinian human rights activist with the Palestinian Boycott Divestment and Sanctions National Committee and Senior Campaigns Officer at the British charity War on Want

MODEL ARTICLE FOR SU PAPER

October is Black History Month, but students and officers could be

forgiven for wondering how that fits in with their union work and with their union priorities of fighting attacks on our education, making their

union democracy work better and making commercial services relevant to their members.

Well, it fits in very nicely. The month exists to highlight and celebrate Black contributions to British society and is an ideal chance for the union to get more

involved with Black members and non-members. Some people may wonder why anyone needs a Black History Month, but the reality is that Black history is often a hidden history, and one that has been written out of mainstream British history.

More accurately, it was never written in — for most people, school histories of the UK were strictly all-white affairs.

Filling in these blank pages does a number of things. It helps to illustrate the positive contribution Black people have made to society as a whole. Clearly that’s

good for everyone to understand, but it also helps build confidence in the Black community and provide positive role models for our Black students.

Black history also combats myths about Black people in the UK — for instance, that

‘they’ only started arriving after WWII. Such inaccuracies and generalisations are bread and butter for the far right. For NUS, Black History Month is an opportunity to raise awareness — one that helps to destroy the arguments of the British National

Party (BNP) and its like.

Black people have always been at the forefront of human development, but too often we have been ignored. Black History Month is a valuable step in enabling us to benefit from all the goodness of our multicultural society. It is a time to reflect

on the achievements and remember the good and the great who have challenged the norm and struggled to make the world a better place. If we want an inclusive

society, then we need an inclusive history. Awareness of all our histories breaks down barriers and leads to co-operation on all sides and progress for all. Black people have contributed to all aspects of British society. One example would be the

NHS, where a high percentage of members of the workforce — from consultant surgeons to porters, nurses to cleaners — come from Black communities.

Celebrating the achievement and contribution of Black communities in the UK comes from the idea of Dr Carter Godwin Woodson, a Black civil rights activist. He

recognised that ‘those who have no record of what their forebears have accomplished lose the inspiration for change that comes with the teaching of

history’. If we are to leave legacies like those of our predecessors, then we must be active and involved to make that change.

Yet involvement in students’ union democratic structures is lower among Black students. Addressing this issue in our students’ unions will ensure better

representation for all. And with more involvement and representation will come higher levels of activism and satisfied students.

The NUS Black Students’ Campaign is working with <insert your institution>’s

Black Students’ Officer to address issues of under-representation, the rise in racism, inequalities in education and international peace and justice.

As part of this wider agenda, Black History Month is an excellent means of engaging Black students on campus and raising awareness of the issues that affect them.

This is a time to reflect on the achievements and remember the good and the great who have challenged the norm and struggled to make the world a better place.

BLACK HISTORY MONTH CONTACTS

Please find below a list of useful links to additional resources and websites for Black

History Month.

www.100greatblackbritons.com Find out who has been voted into the list of 100 greatest Black Britons.

www.black-history-month.co.uk Articles, information and lists of events that are happening across Britain.

www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

An archive crammed full of African, Asian, Caribbean and Arab history in Britain from 1500 to the present day.

www.obv.org.uk Twitter: @OpBlackVote

Operation Black Vote is a non-party political campaign that seeks to redress the Black democratic deficit in the UK and provide a strong political voice for all Black communities.

www.uaf.org.uk

Twitter: @uaf Unite Against Fascism is a national campaign against fascist organisations. It works to alert British society to the rising threat of the extreme right spreading their

hatred across the country.

www.onesocietymanycultures.org Twitter: @1_society One Society Many Cultures brings together politicians, faith and trade union leaders

and students to defend fundamental human rights, celebrate diversity and challenge racism and Islamophobia.

www.blackmentalhealth.org.uk Twitter: @bhmuk

Black Mental Health UK aims to raise awareness and address the stigma associated with mental illness and inequality in the treatment and care of people from African

Caribbean communities

www.ukblackpride.org.uk Twitter: @ukblackpride

UK Black Pride promotes unity and co-operation among all Black people, and their families and friends, who identify as Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual or Transgender.

www.blackfeminists.org/blog Black Feminists is a progressive and safe space for Black women to discuss the

issues facing them.

www.lovemusichateracism.com

Twitter: @LMHRnational Love Music Hate Racism is a campaign that challenges racism by uniting people through music.

www.palestinecampaign.org

Twitter: @PSCupdates Palestine Solidarity Campaign is an organisation that champions Palestinian human rights and has many resources on the history of the conflict.

www.blackactivistsrisingagainstcuts.blogspot.com

Twitter: @BARACUK Black Activists Rising Against Cuts (BARAC) seeks to unite Black communities in opposing cuts and austerity.

www.uffc-campaigncentral.net

The United Friends and Family Campaign brings together various justice campaigns to challenge deaths in custody.

www.tmg-uk.org

Twitter: @MonitoringGroup

The Monitoring Group are a leading exponent of family led empowerment and justice

campaigns in the UK, who use many innovative and pluralist formats to challenge

discrimination and violence including art, culture, drama, poetry, photography, prose, and

interactive web and IT tools.

www.blackheritagetodayuk.com

View articles of the British Heritage of Black people and acquire information through their Black History Month listings and business directory.

www.blackstudentsalliance.org

Twitter: @nbsaUK

The National Black Students Alliance (NBSA) is a non-party political network of African,

Arab, Asian and Caribbean students whose sole purpose is to defend the interests of Black

students in education and wider society.

www.easterneye.eu Twitter: @EasternEye

Britain's number one newspaper for Asian news and Bollywood.

www.caribbeannewspapers.com

See news at a glance from every country in the Caribbean.

www.panafrican.tv

PanAfrican TV is dedicated to news, education, and media of the African continent.

www.voice-online.co.uk

Twitter: @TheVoiceNews

Britain’s Favourite Black Newspaper

www.voiceofafricaradio.com

Twitter: @VoiceOfAfricaFM VOAR was set up to correct the exclusion and marginalisation of the African community from the electronic media, and became the first and only legally licensed African radio

station in the UK.

www.ihrc.org.uk

Twitter: @ihrc

The Islamic Human Rights Commission aims to highlight, publicise and campaign against discrimination and oppression, and seek justice for those affected and responsible, collaborating with organisations working towards a common aim.

www.runnymedetrust.org

The Runnymede Trust is the UK's leading independent race equality think tank,

focusing on research based interventions in social policy and practice.

www.irr.org.uk

Institute of Race Relations is at the cutting edge of research and analysis that

informs the struggle for racial justice in Britain, Europe and internationally. It seeks

to reflect the experiences of those who suffer racial oppression and draws its

perspectives from the most vulnerable in society.

www.guardian.co.uk/uk/blackhistorymonth The Guardian website has an interesting interactive section covering Black history.