Black history does not end in October

I hope you have enjoyed the brief sojourn around some of the most prominent Black authors in the University and public libraries. Clearly, there are countless others I didn’t have time to mention. One of the ongoing concerns about awareness months is that awareness and effort to undo prejudice and discrimination is needed every month of the year and not just the one where it receives special focus. So how can we help make racism history?

Ask ‘who is missing?’

When you are invited to a meeting, told a story about events, or read an account of anything, ask yourself who is organising events and telling the story and who is missing – who has been passively excluded and will go unheard. Use your voice on social media and everyday life to amplify commonly excluded people. You can do this now by social justice advocates and organisations on social media, talking to friends and family, signing and sharing online petitions, and emailing your local politicians about issues that concern you.

Widen your circle of friends

Surrounding yourself with a more diverse group of people helps develop empathy and awareness of different life experiences. It also avoids the insulating echo chamber effect that arises when we naturally attract others who are very similar to ourselves.

Decolonise your studies

The vast majority of the academic literature is written by White men, and so it takes a little extra effort to achieve an unbiased perspective of the world. To help you, we have pulled together eresources and reading lists offering Black perspectives on contemporary social issues to help get you started decolonising your studies.