Black History Matters
This is a significant year for anti-racist organising movements, including Black Lives Matter and Decolonising Education initiatives.
NEU Black Educators have been actively engaged in ensuring schools and colleges are working progressively towards inclusive and anti-racist environments using the anti- racist framework and following up from the NEU’s Decolonising Education conference in December 2019.
The NEU is also following up on letters to the DfE to overhaul the curriculum to include Black histories and national and global stories of Black culture and achievement. Benefiting every pupil, this would counter race inequality and contribute to creating a sense of place and belonging for Black students in all phases.
The NEU sees Black History Month 2020 as an opportunity to explore how to make Black history/culture and achievement matter throughout the year, across all subjects and age groups. The month also serves as a focus for awareness of issues affecting culturally diverse communities, and an opportunity to give voice and listen to narratives and histories, under-acknowledged or missing from educational curriculums and/or resources.
This pack is segmented into four parts to support with focused learning:
- What does Black History Month mean to you? – Resources and activities aimed at providing greater breadth to the picture of Black presence in the UK. Recognising the contributions that the Black community have made to British life whilst also contextualising international perspectives.
- Social History – Lesson plans that make direct reference to communities across the UK and the diverse experiences of migration. Providing students with practical tools and critical skills to research and document hidden histories.
- Activism – Activities to support reflections on international civil rights movements throughout history, the role they have played in changing legislation and law, and how they inform present movements such as Black Lives Matter.
- Arts and Culture - putting Black artists and practitioners centre stage.
Teaching pack
This October, we've commissioned, from Serendipity Arts, a Black History Month teaching pack for key stage 3-4, which can be adapted for other age groups and a series of 10 podcasts to be released throughout the year.
This pack is segmented into four parts to support with focused learning:
- What does Black History Month mean to you? – Resources and activities aimed at providing greater breadth to the picture of Black presence in the UK.
- Recognising the contributions that the Black community have made to British life whilst also contextualising international perspectives.
- Social History – Lesson plans that make direct reference to communities across the UK and the diverse experiences of migration. Providing students with practical tools and critical skills to research and document hidden histories.
- Activism – Activities to support reflections on international civil rights movements throughout history, the role they have played in changing legislation and law, and how they inform present movements such as Black Lives Matter.
- Arts and Culture - putting Black artists and practitioners centre stage.
Black Manifesto
Podcasts which inspire us to learn and unlearn
Listen and share these monthly podcasts titled Black manifesto which will feature conversations with pioneering Black women within the arts and culture sector.
Black Manifesto brings together voices of Black women from around the world as a collective conversation, making the invisible visible and addressing how we work to reshape a new world in which Black women are seen and heard, and a resource for inspiring creativity, learning and unlearning. Each of the ten guests will offer their interpretation and insights.
Our October podcast:
Our November podcast:
Our December podcast
Our January podcast
Our February podcast
Black History Month posters
Please download and use these posters and the ideas for classroom use. The majority have been chosen to reflect migrants to the UK who have made a hugely important contribution to fairness and justice to all.
