Alarm bells everyone, black history is being suppressed in the global north. While this is not new, it threatens to become the norm and the consequences are dire.
As Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie said in her 2009 Ted Talk the danger of a single story – show a people as one thing, as only one thing over and over again and that is what they become – because all other stories are expected to conform.
Currently in the UK and USA, calculated efforts to push black history and stories to the background prevail. For example, restrictions on black social movements on schools and campuses, banning books by black authors in schools and universities in the US and cutting funding for black professors and study programs in universities in the UK, like the recent threat of redundancy of Prof Deirdre Osborne, co-founder of the MA Black British literature course at Goldsmiths, University of London.
According to the UN, by 2030, more than half of the population aged 15-24 will be people of colour, raising a generation of people who do not know their history will hinder their impact in the world.
Why are institutions and media suppressing black history and stories in the global north?
Simply, to maintain the status quo of presumed ”white superiority” while undermining black identity and power and the value of black culture because an oppressed people is easy to exploit. White society prefers blacks as passive non contributors to their own history and story. Basically, if the oppressor controls the narrative, they control our thinking, behaviour, and contributions to society.
By excluding, limiting, and eliminating black history, stories, and storytellers in popular culture, media, and public and private institutions, white society undermines black creativity, innovation, empowerment, and development, making it more difficult for black people to thrive.
Throughout the history of the world white racist society has strived to propagandise the notion of black inferiority to the detriment of black people all over the world. All across the global north, the primary focus is the white man’s thoughts on the black man while minimising and excluding black people’s perspectives on their lived realities. This is why to this day black history, stories, and storytellers are not better integrated into school and university curriculums in the global north. Generally speaking, American and European schooling rarely teaches black people, black history, events, and stories.
In popular culture and media, anti-blackness is warranted alongside white saviour narratives. Oppressors are humanised while the oppressed are dehumanised hence the continued racist wars against a multicultural society as evidenced by the recent right-wing protests in the UK where minorities were violently targeted. White society likes to manufacture black people’s stories that are palatable to white racist worldviews. While anything that challenges anti-blackness is pushed to the background.
James Baldwin in his 1964 book A Talk to Teachers says, ”If… one managed to change the curriculum in all the schools so that negroes learned more about themselves and their real contributions to this culture, you would be liberating not only negroes, you would be liberating white people who know nothing about their own history, Baldwin writes. ”And the reason is that if you are compelled to lie about one aspect of any body’s history, you must lie about it all.”
White society proliferates and stresses narratives of black people’s inferior roles in society, depicting black people as less skilled, knowledgeable, or able, which we know not to be true.Most stories and ideas about black people in popular media and school and university study courses are disconnected from the reality of black people as they are written by non-blacks. These stories centre white interests and yet what is important to white people is different from what is important to black people.
White interests do not care about black lives, culture, perspectives, and voices. White interests leave no gap for diverse stories, restricting black history and stories to only themes of suffering, oppression, and trauma.
Black history and narratives are often deemed important only when connected to whiteness—framed through the lens of colonialism in Africa, slavery in Europe and the U.S., immigration, government loans, aid programs, or when highlighting ‘firsts’—those who break through barriers imposed by white society. Through limiting access to black peoples’ stories divested of whiteness from a black perspective, white racist society strives to undermine young black people’s ability to understand themselves and their unique position in the world.
Their goal is to restrict the ability of Black people to change the trajectory of their livelihoods and resist oppression, limiting their power to achieve true freedom. The creation of real generational wealth can only come from understanding our history and the inheritance that comes with this knowledge, after all ‘knowledge is power. .
So how do we rebalance the scales in favour of black history and future generations?
Perhaps through continued criticism of the status quo and raising black social consciousness through the radical spread of stories of black lived realities past, present, and future to help build black power and solidarity.
Rebalancing the scales in favour of Black history and future generations involves a multi-faceted approach that includes education reform, economic empowerment, policy advocacy, and cultural representation. Here’s how these areas can contribute to meaningful change:
1. Education Reform
To address historical imbalances, education systems must integrate comprehensive and accurate representations of Black history into the curriculum. This includes teaching about the contributions, struggles, and achievements of Black individuals not just during Black History Month but throughout the entire academic year. Additionally, schools should adopt inclusive teaching materials and pedagogies that reflect the diversity of student populations, helping to instil a sense of pride and belonging among Black students(CityNews Toronto).
2. Economic Empowerment
Economic disparities between Black communities and others must be addressed to ensure future generations have equal opportunities. This involves supporting Black-owned businesses, ensuring equitable access to capital, and addressing the racial wealth gap through policies that promote homeownership, higher education, and entrepreneurship within Black communities. Financial literacy programs targeted at Black youth can also help build generational wealth(Museums Association).
3. Policy Advocacy and Legal Reforms
Advocating for policies that address systemic racism is crucial. This includes pushing for criminal justice reform, voting rights protection, and anti-discrimination laws that dismantle barriers Black communities face. Furthermore, reparative justice measures, such as reparations or community investments, can help to rectify historical injustices and provide resources for Black communities to thrive(CityNews Toronto,Museums Association).
4. Cultural Representation
Promoting accurate and diverse representation of Black people in media, literature, and the arts is essential. This involves supporting Black creators, filmmakers, and authors whose work reflects the richness of Black culture and history. By ensuring that Black voices are heard and respected, society can challenge stereotypes and foster a more inclusive cultural narrative that honours the past while inspiring future generations(Museums Association).
5. Community and Mentorship Programs
Establishing mentorship and community support programs that specifically target Black youth can provide the guidance and resources they need to succeed. These programs should focus on career development, academic achievement, and mental health support, helping young Black individuals to navigate and overcome the challenges they face due to systemic inequities(Museums Association).
By addressing these key areas, we can work towards a future where Black History is fully recognized and honoured, and where future generations of Black individuals have the opportunities and support needed to thrive.
