About Us
BLACK HISTORY MONTH 2016
A celebration of EMPOWERING WOMEN
Over the last few years, women’s only business events have becoming increasingly popular. This comes as no surprises as women now outnumber men in the workforce, but still find it difficult to reach senior level positions.
Women’s events have also become popular to help women in specific male dominated sectors like technology, to overcome common barriers.
Awareness of the differing realities of Blacks and Whites is at an all time high, but how do we move from awareness to action? While the pursuit of racial justice has garnered support from grassroots activists and foundations with multi-billion pound endowments alike, African and African Caribbean entrepreneurs, business owners, and organizational leaders continue to face systemic racism in many forms, from the allocation of philanthropic and investment resources (or the lack thereof) to the contemporary influence of redlining in communities.
In view of the many International racist incidents as of late and the awareness of these most violent racially motivated occurrences, and knowing just how strongly some people feel and fear some things about people of colour, i.e., the “Black Lives Matter” campaign in the United States and the internationally televised racist incident on the train platform in France this year. Black awareness campaigns, such as, Black History Month are even more relevant today than ever before.
A greater awareness and inter-action with African and Caribbean life in the United Kingdom is even more important if we are to eliminate this type of hatred from our society and communities. Black History Month Colchester aims to help provide a more positive and progressive image that can inspire and encourage your young people and adults alike.
With racism, bigotry and mass European migration into the United Kingdom, it is imperative that we embrace and celebrate all cultures and their historic contributions which have made Great Britain GREAT.
“The idea that some people are lesser than another is the root of all that is wrong with this world”
Black History Month Colchester 2015 and its sponsors and supporters, will strive to acknowledge and celebrate the many cultures of BME peoples and communities in Colchester and Tendering with an outstanding line up of performances, “Live Shows” and open events of talks and discussion on topics of Race, Racism and Race Equality/Inequality.
Colchester Black History Month in its current incarnation has been running annually since October 2007, on London’s 20th anniversary of BHM and the 200th anniversary of the parliamentary abolition of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. Colchester Black History Month’s present committee follow in the legacy of annual events organised by the founders of Tendering and Colchester Minority Ethnic Partnership.
But why have a Black History Month?
African and Caribbean students and communities need to feel affirmed; need to be aware of the contributions made by other Blacks in the United Kingdom; need to have role models; need to understand the social forces which have shaped and influenced their community and their identities as a means of feeling connected to the educational experience and their life experience in various regions in Colchester. They need to feel empowered. The greater Colchester and Tendering communities needs to know a history of Great Britain that includes all of the founding and pioneering experiences in order to work from reality, rather than perception alone.
As a people, with roots dating back much further than the “Wind Rush” immigration, African and Caribbean people have defended, cleared, built and farmed this country; our presence is well established, but not well-known. The celebration of Black History Month is an attempt to have the achievements of Black people recognized and told.
We need a Black History Month in order to help us to arrive at an understanding of ourselves as being British in the most accurate and complete socio-historical context that we can produce. As a nation with such diversity, all histories need to be known, all voices need to be expressed. Black history provides the binary opposite to all traditional histories. One needs traditional history to engender a common culture; one needs Black history to engender a clearer and more complete culture.
When the contributions of people of African descent are acknowledged, when the achievements of Black people are known, when Black people are routinely included or affirmed through our curriculum, our books and the media, and treated with equality, then there will no longer be a need for Black History Month.
And in the face of clear, and decisive evidence of the need for Black History Month. We want to invite everyone who would want to be a part of our celebrations of culture and heritage to get involved.
We would like for everyone to feel that they have a voice to be heard, and a story to tell.
We have a history that is as rich and as diverse as all the more popular and noted celebrations of culture in our country. Colchester Black History Month functions as a committee group of civil-minded volunteers, and If you would like to share, display, perform or volunteer on the committee group, please contact us.
All of your support, efforts and contributions are welcome.
Lawrence Walker,
Chairman