Reflections on Black History Month: Personalising History

I have often been overwhelmed with the stream of national days, weeks and months, paired with an ever running news cycle, my attention is being pulled this way and that. It sometimes feels a lot to take in. Also, like many others, I have conflicting feelings about Black History Month. It can seem that Black History is being relegated to a designated time, somehow an added extra to 'normal' history. Black History Month by no means precludes the teaching of Black history throughout other parts of the year. It does often feel that people wash their hands of it once November rolls around. 

Conversations about race and history in Briton have been bought to the forefront in the last couple of years. It bears restating that Black History is British history. I'm a Black Briton, I live in a former empire, and I reap the benefits of being born in one of the worlds wealthiest countries. I'm also a British Nigerian; my family history is entangled with the aftermath of colonialism. It is possible to belong to both sides of the equation. Too often, the history of the slave trade is treated as heritage when we celebrate its beneficiaries and 'needlessly political' when we ask that those figures have their entire legacy remembered. When approaching this history, it is crucial to remember that the slave trade and the wealth it generated in this country is not the history of Black Britons' alone. 

I think everyone can benefit from assessing their relationship with the past and how it has shaped our now. We had long summer this year in more ways than one, and the more extensive history wasn't the one kind that I wanted to dwell on. I wanted to spend more time on the self and the world near to me. I took this time to centre Black History in my reading, appreciation of art, and adventures. I use frequently use topical months for personal organisation (it really helps!). So here's how I spent my Black History Month and a few general ways that I like to think about my connection to broad social histories.

Taking a walk through my neighbourhood. 

I have the luck of living in a city with ample second-hand books and always a lot to see and do. So, October having a theme was an excellent way to keep my reading list in a reasonable order and my events calendar in check. With books in mind, I took a trip to New Beacons, the oldest surviving Black-owned Bookshop in the UK. This was also a way for me to hone in on my local history. I'm lucky enough to have a visible slice of heritage just down the road. History might not be as visible in some areas, but you'll be surprised what you can find when you search for it. 

Looking within my own interests. 

I looked at things areas of interest to me personally. I delved into the history of Nigerian art in our own words by finally taking the time to read and store these vintage Nigeria magazines that I discovered a few weeks before. It may be silly of me, but I was surprised at how modern the perspectives felt. Looking into personal writing can make history seem closer, the figures more human. 

Making it personal.

I spent some time with my mother because sometimes the history that matters is that of family friends. There is a personal history just out of reach; we held a camera phone in every pocket. So in looking to the past, I sought the of those around me. You'd be surprised what you can collect when you ask your friends and neighbours. I heard stories of Notting Hill Carnival in the '90s, multicultural squatter collectives of the '70s. I learnt about the system that the Caribbean immigrants bought across an ocean and used to support one another.   

Creating some history. 

I captured a few moments in writing, in quick drawing and in photographs. In documenting something unique to me, I have a chance to look back on a record that never would have existed otherwise. In sharing these things, we can often find commonality where we least expect it. So why not make a record of what you're doing right now! Take a photograph, perhaps write a diary entry. Things move so fast in our lives, so in October, I set aside time to think about the little things, and I would heartily recommend it. 

I don't think that there are any wrong answers so far as spending Black History Month goes. Still, beyond October, I hope to approach history as something that can be held close. I was never one for memorising dates.