The social climate in which we approached Black History Month this year was different from previous years. The Black Lives Matter protests have thrown a spotlight on the systemic racism and racial inequality that blights the opportunities of black people.
The protests have encouraged many in Northern Ireland not only to confront the country’s past and the racial discrimination in modern society, but also to reflect on how we engage with black history and how we can tackle racism.
Speaking at the virtual launch, “Compulsory teaching of Black History and Anti-racism Education in Northern Ireland’s Primary and Secondary Schools” the lead campaigner TJ said, “teaching black history is two-fold, when children and young people learn black history lessons at school, they go home and share what they learn with their parents. This benefits society as a whole because it means that the issue of race will be talked about in more homes across the country. “
Lilian seenoi-Barr director of programmes added “Racism is a stain on humanity and must be eradicated. Nwmf believe that the main starting point in doing so is through education and learning. Let’s not forget the killing of George Floyd and the surge of black lives matter protests which helped draw attention to forgotten histories, racial injustices and enequalities that black people face. Now it’s time to integrate black history into the mainstream, that way we help the next generation makes sense of the events that happened in 2020 and to aspire for a better, more inclusive and shared Northern Ireland. “
To get involved with the North West Migrants forum campaign contact us on, like and follow nwmf social media outlets as shown below.