Education is the gateway to knowledge, whether this is through books, documentaries, or school itself. But, as the primary point young people gain access to knowledge, shouldn’t our schools reflect the world we live in and the beauty of our multi-cultural society? Unfortunately, with a Eurocentric National Curriculum, this isn’t the reality of our present educational landscape.
These reclaimed narratives will only become general knowledge within our schools, just like how artworks by Picasso or Da Vinci’s are, if we make a collective effort to move away from the Eurocentric curriculum and towards learning that includes the full picture of the world we live in. In Leeds alone, the 2021 Census showed that 26.6% of the city’s population were non-white British citizens. Why should their history be an addition to the standard, and not part of the expected? Why do we learn about the Transatlantic Trade of Enslaved Africans in the National Curriculum, but not about the BLK Art Group, Frank Bowling or Lewis Latimer?
There are many resources which can contribute to an equitable education for all, such as the Black Curriculum Learning Resources curated by Carol Leeming MBE FRSA for the The City Classroom in Leicester. The aim of these art resources is to encourage and support educational institutions to champion the Black British artists who represent our society and promote the unique and vital vision contained within Black British Arts.
Another organisation that champions Black British histories into mainstream education is The Black Curriculum. They look to raise the profile of Black culture and history, equipping all with the tools to navigate a diverse landscape.
Black History is more than just a month. It is the world we live in and the society we engage in. Let’s get our education to reflect that. Let’s make Leeds’ cultural education mirror the diverse communities it is made up of.
