Living Theology for Black History Month
Date Posted: Oct 10, 2024.
Persevering and working in unity as we seek justice and peace
The first Black History Month in the UK was celebrated in October 1987. The purpose is to celebrate the histories, cultures, achievements and contributions of Black People in different spheres in the UK and beyond. Back then, I had commenced my career as a mechanical engineer in the automotive engineering and manufacturing sector. It was at a time when there were very few women in engineering, let alone a Black one. On my receiving an award for outstanding achievements, the news headlines included: “When it comes to engineering, she shows the boys”, “Who says engineering is strictly for the boys”, “Modupe … Making her way in a man’s world”. “Trailblazer”, said others.
How far have Black UK Minority Ethic (UKME) and Global Majority Heritage (GMH) people come through the years? On asking a similar question previously, the snide response received was, “Be grateful, you could still be picking cotton”.
Personally, it has been a long and hard journey; having to fight for everything that was offered freely to colleagues. A fight for life and basic rights - to be treated as an equal, with respect and dignity; free from putdowns from gatekeepers whose go to phrases include, “you overestimate your intelligence”; free from intimidation, harassment, bullying, and underhanded practices in and outside of work, in educational institutions and all other environments without exception.
Overt practices have been tempered with legislation and replaced with covert, microaggressive and other undermining practices. Unwritten rules are used to negate legislation on equality of opportunity, inclusion, fair pay and proper allocation of resources.
Many Black people have experienced such injustices, and it is a well-established and undisputable fact that Black people are still experiencing them today.(1,2)
The Holy Scriptures states that humankind is created by God in God’s own image, yet there are many people, including those who profess to believe in God, who hold the belief that humankind is not created equal, hence the reason why the humanity of Black people is denied on the grounds of their colour, and race. (1)
The use of ‘race’ as an official segregation tool dates to the start of the Spanish Inquisition in the 15th century. Racism gained deeper roots in the 17th century when the concept of ‘race’ was used to uphold hierarchies, justify slavery and oppression. (2,3,4) The engineered construct of race is still continually used to reinforce the structures of systemic racism and discrimination because it is deeply embedded in the psyche of people, hence in their behavioural norm.
In a very recent encounter, a man publicly announced that I should, “Shoo back to where I came from”. He was eloquent in his use of other derogatory choice words about foreigners. The fact that I had my clergy collar on made no difference. As I walked away, he followed, waving his hands repeatedly whilst saying “shoo… shoo away!”. Did he see me as another human being, who is flesh and blood like him? No doubt, he did not! What he did was to resort to the versed practice of deliberate dehumanisation. His behaviour is indicative of his true self, the deficits in him and his insecurities. Such encounters and abuse are not new. However, my new experience is that one person out of the gathered spectators spoke up, telling the perpetrator of offence not to speak to me like that and calling the perpetrator out for being racist!
My faith and deepening relationship with God are core aspects of my resilience and have helped me to find balance and peace, and how best to live a life of purpose and to use all that I am and able to do to glorify God. As of now, I am the Racial Justice Advocacy Programme Officer for AMEN (Anglican Minority Ethnic Network), and serving my curacy title post in the Church of England.
The founder of Black theology, James Hal Cone, stressed that humankind is both connected and interdependent and everyone’s freedom is intrinsically linked to the liberation of everyone. (1) So, I urge people to reflect on the words from Dr Martin Luther King Jr’s speech of 04 April 1967, “There comes a time when silence is betrayal”,(2) and the words of Martin Niemöller in the memorialised poem “First They Came”(3). Both men warned of the consequences of choosing to ignore or to stay silent about injustices and oppression.
Black History Month helps us to highlight untold stories, and to elevate and celebrate the achievements and contributions of Black people today
and throughout history as we seek to reclaim negative and prejudiced narratives. Imagine what the world would be like, and the society we would have, if all people were valued and their contributions recognised and rewarded justly.
Until all humankind can value and accept one another and celebrate the glory of God in each and every person, regardless of race, gender, status and creed, we continue to shortchange ourselves. We owe it to ourselves not to let others keep defining our worth, because their tendency is to under value us. We must, therefore, keep persevering, work together in unity and support one another for justice and peace.
(1) House of Commons and House of Lords Joint Committee on Human Rights, Black People, Racism and Human Rights, 11 November 2020, https://committees.parliament....
(2) Amnesty International, Racial Justice, 2024
(4) Gendered Innovations: in Science, Health & Medicine, Engineering, and Environment.