Black History month seems to be a controversial topic no matter what time of year it’s held. In the UK we acknowledge Black History in October, the Americans celebrate in February. If you’ve been on Twitter this month, you’ll know that this simple acknowledgement of our history causes problems to some people. This year we …
Black history
Black History Studies presents The History of Black Olympians from 1904
Black History Studies in association with the Phoenix Cinema presents an Olympic double bill with the screening of ‘Black Power Salute’ and ‘The Athlete’ on Sunday 15th July 2012 at the Phoenix Cinema. Black Power Salute is a documentary about one of the most iconic images of the 20th century when two African-American men made …
New Cross Fire – 13 dead and nothing said!
On Sunday 18 January 1981 a fire broke out in a house in New Cross Road, Deptford, South East London, killing 13 people and marking a massive change for black people in Britain. On Sunday 18 January 1981 a fire broke out in a house in New Cross Road, Deptford, South East London, killing …
Samuel Sharpe – 1801-1832 – Jamaica’s National Hero
Samuel Sharpe is one of Jamaica’s National Heroes. He was the main instigator of the 1831 Slave Rebellion, which began on the Kensington Estate in St James, Jamaica and which was largely instrumental in bringing about the abolition of slavery. Because of his intelligence and leadership qualities, Sam Sharpe became a “daddy”, or leader of …
Norman Washington Manley – 1893-1969
Norman Washington Manley is one of Jamaica’s National heroes. Born in Roxborough, Manchester, on 4 July 1893, he was the son of Margaret and Thomas Albert Manley who were both mixed race. He was well educated, attending high school, before going to Jamaica College. He made headlines as an outstanding athlete, as well as excelling …
Marcus Mosiah Garvey – 1887-1940
As one of Jamaica’ National Heroes, Marcus Mosiah Garvey stands out in history as one who was greatly committed to the concept of the Emancipation of minds. Garvey’s early life Garvey who was born in St. Ann, Jamaica became famous worldwide as a leader who was courageous and eloquent in his call for improvement for …
Paul Bogle
Paul Bogle is one of Jamaica’s National Heroes. It is believed he was born free about 1822. Bogle was a Baptist deacon in Stony Gut, a few miles north of Morant Bay, and was eligible to vote at a time when there were only 104 voters in the parish of St. Thomas. He was a …
Arawak people
The Arawak were a once-predominant group of Native Americans originally inhabiting an area that stretched from present-day Florida down through the islands of the West Indies and the coastal area of South America as far as southern Brazil. The group is in the Arawakan linguistic family. The Arawak were the first natives of the Americas …
Brief History of Barbados
British sailors who landed on Barbados in the 1620s at the site of present-day Holetown on the Caribbean coast found the island uninhabited. As elsewhere in the eastern Caribbean, Arawak Indians may have been annihilated by invading Caribs, who are believed to have subsequently abandoned the island. From the arrival of the first British settlers …