Black History Month at SADACCA

Story: Carrie Hedderwick

Photos: Rob Siamtinta

On 6th October, SADACCA invited the community to a splendid event to commemorate the start of Black History Month (BHM).

Ricky Bennett opened proceedings by explaining its origin. Carter G Woodson put on the first events in the USA in 1926 but it was 1970 before the commemoration became a regular annual event. Ricky emphasised that a community with no knowledge of its history or traditions loses its identity.

The theme of the BHM this year is leadership, responsibility and moving forward. Des Smith, President of SADACCA, stressed the importance of BHM to the community

“In the 1960s, when the first wave of Afro Caribbean people came to the UK, there was a lot activism within the community, within local councils and also in national and local politics.”

Concerned that black Caribbean youth nowadays are not engaged in the community or political organisations, he asked ‘How can we make SADACCA relevant to young people?’ He believes that education and empowerment are the key to engaging young people.

The event then went on to celebrate Afro Caribbean culture – Moses Keita spoke about the history of music in Mali, in Niger, in Senegal and in Gambia – ‘everyone there is born,’ he said, ‘to be singers and musicians!’ Moses was followed by the Romano Jilo dance group who put on an elaborate, energetic performance of traditional Roma dance.

Ishaq Haywood, the key speaker of the evening, emphasised the need to remember the shocking brutality and discrimination faced by the black population in the USA, quoting Jefferson and Lincoln who both held and expressed racist attitudes. He stressed the important contribution that black people have made to society in the fields of medicine, research, literature and music. His message, in the face of prejudice, of hardship, of discrimination:

‘we need to do it for ourselves.’

The SDA Church’s Carterknowle Singers followed and then Bob Marley’s Redemption Song performed by Clinton McKoy. Carmelita Duncan delivered a hard-hitting eulogy to Maya Angelou, writer, director, journalist, actor and producer, ending with her poem, ‘Still I Rise’.

Still I Rise (final verse)

Leaving behind nights of terror and fear

I rise

Into a daybreak that's wondrously clear

I rise

Bringing the gifts that my ancestors gave,

I am the dream and the hope of the slave.

I rise

I rise

I rise

The rest of the evening was a feast of Afro Caribbean foods, music and general conviviality.

Throughout October, students from both universities organised events to celebrate black history and achievement, an affirmative example of BME youth remembering and celebrating the history and hopes of their communities.