Black History Month 2024
Sheldon is celebrating Black History month by dedicating time during tutor to explore stories of Black people who have made valuable contributions in the areas of science, social justice, military service and in the literary world.
The theme of Black History Month 2024 is Reclaiming Narratives. We are using our pastoral time to challenge the narratives that have often overlooked the contributions and achievements of Black individuals in the UK and globally. We will shine an light on the diverse and profound impact of Black individuals across various fields and will empower and education through sharing stories that shape our collective identity. This includes:
- Lillian Badder (1918-2015): the first Black woman to join the RAF
- Walter Tull (1888-1918): footballer and war hero
- Dr Patricia Bath (1942-2019): founder of the American Institute for the Prevention of Blindness
- Olive Morris (1952-1979): community activist
- Elijah McCoy (1844-1929): engineer and inventor
- Patricia Cumper (1954): playwright and theatre director
- David Clemetson (1893-1918): the only black person to hold the rank of Full Lieutenant in the British Army during the First World War
In addition to their pastoral work, Black history is also integrated into our KS3 history lessons. Right now, Year 8 are learning about Tudor and Stuart England. Much of their lessons are based on the book Black Tudors: The Untold Story by Miranda Kaufman. Year 9 and also utilising the work of David Olusoga, most notably his book Black and British. We are also hoping to get a box of artifacts from Bristol M Shed related to Britain and the transatlantic slave trade to use in our history lessons.
You may want to have a conversation with your children about some of the fascinating people they have learned about this week. If you'd like to learn more about Black History in the UK, we highly recommend Black and British: A Forgotten History on BBC iplayer