When the actor Morgan Freeman was asked about Black History Month in an interview with The Guardian, he replied: “You’re going to relegate my history to a month?”
He is totally right. And a few years ago, when working at West Suffolk College, I set about incorporating black history into the curriculum throughout the entire year. My plans were embraced and taken on by others, with the impact visible in every pocket of the college community.
So, what advice would I give to others who want to do something similar?
The best place to start is to look at what you do and see how you can change. Get everyone in the organisation engaged at what you are trying to do and talk about the language – it may be an uncomfortable conversation in order to get comfortable – but by taking those first steps, you can cascade the training down. Personally I believe you need to start with your staff before moving on to students. After that, you can take a step back and let students teach you.
