Now that Black History Month is Over...

We can now be honest.

Truly honest - about the whole thing. Or at least I will be.

It's a phrase I used to hear loads when I worked in corporate spaces as an employee. And I get the sense that it won't be said quite so much this year... but it'll still be thought.

And fair play - I'm not the thought police, but before we're too far out of the multi-coloured BHM haze, for today's #SaturdayServing I'ma drop a few thoughts about the celebration, permission, fads, congruence, and why I for one am glad that it's over, especially for this year

Conflicted

Right - I'm gonna come out and just say it up front.... I HATE BLACK HISTORY MONTH. I always felt uneasy about it when I was young. And the misery and trauma grew as the years went on... with inaccurate, disrespectful and plain ridiculous treatments in so many different guises. As my distaste grew...It has made me feel SO conflicted, it's made me cry, it's made me so annoyed, and the fact that I can't just LOVE it the way that those that worked so very hard to institute it intended makes me feel even worse about it.

See, I'm not an ingrate. And I take the idea and sacrifice of those who came before so seriously, I never forget that I stand on the shoulders of giants, and hope to be a giant myself (almost there I'm 6ft tall) that my descendants will be grateful to have had. So my chagrin with the idea of black history month has never sat well with me given the reasons why it was put together in the first place and just how much work would have gone into it all to make it so.

Yes, it's imperfect, but it's what we have. Should I be so grateful for something woefully inadequate? Perhaps. Or perhaps it will make me complacent in pushing for more.

But the confines of the 'month'.... a WHOLE month...I have always found to be reductive and insulting - especially given the 'get back in your box' kinda messages you've get in November.

The tokenism, and hypocrisy from organisations who have traditionally treated their Black staff members, students and community so poorly, only to have a month of events and canteen food claiming to celebrate their roots and culture was just too much to bear.

The sense of being given permission to speak up, be out loud and celebrate in that month only (which anyone who knows me, knows that would NEVER go down well) - and then being expected to go back, and pipe down again once the clock strikes November, just used to vex my spirit...

And as for the 'opium of the masses' tactic of giving such a meagre offering for black people to get excited about after years of oppression and disrespect. Again, not my bag... and I'm not the only one. In the same way that the romans developed festivals to tame servile rebellions, I can't help but think that it's a weak pacifier that is used to distract the community while offering no meaningful or lasting change that sees our lives obtain any tangible improvement.

And recent reports of the woeful treatment of the Windrush Generation AGAIN by this government (a supposedly respected part of our recent 'black history') would appear to prove me right.

But I'm kinda looking forward to this period this year.

Because we've been told 'we're listening', and 'we hear you' and everyone has been patting themselves on the back for amazing events throughout the month of October...

But I'm watching your November.

I don't get to turn off being Black for November - so I'm interested to see those who claims to be about racial equality and yet turn off that interest or switch back to 'awful culture as usual' from November onwards.

(and let's be honest, because I saw plenty of eye rolls about BHM by the time the 21st rolled around and many more posts about Halloween for the last few days than BHM, which means we don't really get the whole month anyway!)

Showing that the idea of a 'month' for Black History is in fact a farce, and it's not the only problematic word in the expression.

Why I say 'No' to the 'Black' of BHM

I say 'no' to the Black in Black History Month - because Black history is too vast and broad to be considered a 'thing'.

If you are British, you may know nothing about Polish history - and that would be fair enough, it's obvious that their histories are varied and different as the people living in them today.

And yet it would be accurate to regard them as 'European History' as they are both countries on the continent. But no one would have the temerity to suggest that they be lumped together, considered similar, or (worst of all) considered that you've had your fill of one because you were taught the other.

That's how I, as a Yoruba person feel about the idea of Black History, African History or even to some extent Nigerian History. It's not homogenous. Africa is a billion people and needs to stop being treated as, considered as and referred to as though it is a country.

The history of the continent is rich, varied and vast...and that's before we consider the impact of it's peoples being spread across the waters to other lands.

When my sons started the Lockdown business, they asked the most valid of questions I've had in ages.... "If the 'nation' of Wales has 3m+ people in it, and yet Hausas account for over 30m people, why is Wales considered a 'nation' while Hausa's are considered a tribe? It was a question that filled me with pride that they had fathomed it, and dread when I had to consider the implications of the answer.

In learning more about the other nation groups in Nigeria, I learnt as much as any non-Nigerian person would - BECAUSE WE ARE NOT THE SAME...

It's why I challenged the concept of 'African Drumming' being taught in schools at a recent discussion on governance, because there is no such thing.

My sons kept coming back from school incredulous as to why I hadn't taught them about the drumming they are learning about in school. I kept having to explain that it's NOT African drumming, and that there are a great many different types of drums from different parts of Africa, the same way there are different languages from different parts of Europe.

It's why our deeper exploration into history for our melanated peoples began today for our family with Dr David Olusoga's recent book outlining Black British History for young people. (Please click on the link and buy the book, it has already sparked such incredible conversations with the boys)

This is the time when it's no longer cool, hip, or 'what you're expected to do' and that's exactly why we're doing it. And will be doing it each month for the next few years.

With Quiet Comes Clarity

And I say the same to corporates, brands and organisations.

Now that Black History Month is Over...we're watching you.

We'll be seeing if you actually walk your talk.

We'll be looking out for what you do when you no longer have the hype and noise of BHM to feel like you have to live up to.

If you were in it for the positive PR, and to be seen to be doing the right thing or whether you were serious about creating sustainable change.

Thank you so much for your colourful panels, interesting speakers (and even an all Black 'Loose Women' panel no less) - but I want to see what your panels look like this month, next month and next year too.

I want to see who you ask to work for free, and who you ask to speak at all

We'll see how you actually treat your employees day to day, not just when you think the world is watching

Your black squares are not meaningful if the black employees in your organisation find your culture toxic ... and the same is true for your jollof rice and jerk chicken in the work canteen...

You can fool who you like in October.

But it's November now... and the truth always outs.

So yeah... I'm glad Black History Month is over... I'm intent on making Black History every day - and the work to educate and equip ourselves to thrive and grow for the future begins now... on November 1st - which is also the point at which we begin to get to sort the wheat from the chaff, and I for one am excited to see real change for employees, speakers, suppliers, candidates, experts involved in your organisation.

I'm glad BHM is over, so now we can see what you're really made of. It's always easier to hear exactly what tunes people are singing when it's quiet. Black History Month allows all sorts of noise to pass as singing... but the quiet of November will let us clearly see who is saying and doing what.

I'm thankful for the end of BHM... I like the quiet that brings accountability and clarity!