-
Claudia Jones: The Forgotten And Powerful Journalist, Editor And Creator Of The Notting Hill Carnival
Disclaimer: This content is written for educational purposes and designed to educate the audience. This blog post about Claudia Jones reflects the knowledge at the time and it has been written to the best of my knowledge and may contain errors. It may be updated to enhance the image of the blog post. The owner of this blog may change the focus at any time. Please read this at your risk.
We have heard about the Notting Hill Carnival but there isn’t enough recognition about the visionary behind the popular street festival. Claudia Jones created the Notting Hill Carnival as a solution to celebrate Caribbean cultures.
This was a dangerous time because of the rise of racist and violent attacks from white people when many Caribbean citizens were moving to the UK from 1948 to 1971. Jones took matters into her own hands despite her health challenges.
This topic explores the life and legacy of Claudia Jones, a journalist and communist who championed the rights of black people, a community activist who challenged racism and wrote about the experiences, exploitation and mistreatment of black women.
Who was Claudia Jones?
Claudia Jones was a Trinidadian journalist, community activist and founder of the West Indian Gazette newspaper and Notting Hill Carnival. Born Claudia Vera Cumberbatch on the 21st February 1915, in Trinidad and Tobago and grew up with 4 sisters.
She moved to Harlem, New York after her parents moved to the United States of America to seek better opportunities and a better quality of life.
Her mother died when she was only 13, she did well in school but financial issues prevented her from attending her high school graduation.
Furthermore, living in unfit living conditions affected her health and she was diagnosed with tuberculosis.
What did Claudia Jones do for a living?
After graduating from high school, she worked various jobs to earn a living, including writing for the local black nationalist newspaper, Harlem Journal. In 1936, she joined the National Youth Communist League and became a member of the National Association of the Advancement of Colored People.
Her efforts were recognised as she quickly rose through the ranks and in 1937 she became the editor of the Daily Worker and then edited the Weekly Review in 1938.
On top of that, it was dangerous to be a communist during the time because the American government was targeting people who were communists or people they suspected to be part of the political organisation.
Also, she understood the importance of black women’s rights and wrote an essay about black womanhood called An End To The Neglect of The Negro Woman in 1949.
An AI image created by Dall-e 3 shows a typewriter, books, a pen and a notebook. Why did Claudia Jones move to Britain?
She was arrested because she was an important member of the Communist party in the USA and she served time in a women’s prison because of her health challenges, she had to seek medical treatment.
British colonial governor Hubert Rance refused to let Claudia Jones return to Trinidad and Tobago in case she succeeded in empowering the people and mobilising the communities in her native country.
Instead, she was deported to Britain in 1955 and spent the remaining years in London.
What did she do in London?
Once Jones settled in London it didn’t take long for her to return to journalism and political activism. She noticed the prevalent racial discrimination in housing, employment and education. In March 1958 Jones created a a local newspaper called the West Indian Gazette and Afro-Asian Caribbean News.
This newspaper was crucial in informing the black communities of events that were happening since the mainstream newspapers focused on negative stereotypes, the West Indian Gazette focused on the things that mattered to the black communities.
Jones also created the Notting Hill Carnival on the 30th January 1959 at the St. Pancras Town Hall to celebrate and uplift the Caribbean communities during a difficult time and to bring joy despite the harsh realities of dealing with racism.
“A people without a voice are lambs to the slaughter.”
-Claudia JonesOn the 31st August 1963, she organised the March for Washington for Jobs and Freedom in London.
When did Claudia Jones pass away?
She died on Christmas Day 1964 in her sleep after her long battle with tuberculosis which affected her health since she was a child growing up in New York.
Her funeral was attended by many left-leaning counterparts and friends and she was buried in Highgate in London. After her death, the West Indian Gazette stopped selling the newspaper and Notting Hill Carnival is one of the most celebrated and popular Caribbean street festivals in Europe.
Final Thoughts
Claudia Jones was a remarkable and powerful journalist and activist ahead of her time. She deserves her flowers for her work and for the difficulties she faced in dealing with her health.
Claudia Jones’ legacy is a powerful reminder of the impact one person can have on society. As a champion for civil rights, she fought tirelessly for equality and justice, inspiring many to continue her work. Her contributions to culture, especially in the Black community, still resonate today.
Thank you for reading this blog post about Claudia Jones and her important work in journalism and activism. I would love to hear your thoughts and feedback about this post, so don’t forget to comment below. Let me know what other topics in black British history you want me to write about in the future.
-
Uncovering Forgotten Stories: A Journey Through the Windrush Generation History
Disclaimer: The Windrush Generation is for educational purposes and this post is about the Windrush Generation. This story of the Windrush, to the best of my knowledge, may contain errors and omissions. I am not a professional historian or a history teacher. This is strictly informational. Please read this post at your risk. The focus of this blog can change at any time and will not affect the quality of the blog.
There is a strong influence of the Windrush Generation in the UK, whether it’s through history, culture, or legacy. The Windrush generation has shaped the culture of black British communities and modern British society.
This topic is significant because they have contributed a tremendous amount of dedication and work to Britain. The laws passed by the British Government through the Windrush Scandal have also humiliated them.
This scandal relates to the time when they arrived in the UK between 1948 and 1971, immigration laws, documents, and racism targeted at the Windrush generation.
Despite the unnecessary attack and the challenges, the story of the Windrush generation is a hopeful, positive, cruel and uncertain journey and will leave you feeling inspired and grateful for the rich cultures they brought to the UK.
The Caribbean presence during the WW2
Around 10,000 soldiers from the Caribbean countries fought in the 2nd World War for the British army. 100 women joined the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force and Auxiliary Territorial Services. After the war, some veterans stayed in Britain and they never returned to the Caribbean.
Before the Windrush ship, other Caribbean citizens travelled to the UK, such as the SS Ormonde ship that arrived in March 1947, which carried highly skilled professionals such as engineers and plumbers and the ship Almanzora which arrived the same year in December.
An image created by Afro Lit Stories using AI from Canva. Who is the Windrush Generation?
After the 2nd World War, the UK was struggling with the economy and they were dealing with the aftermath of the war. Many people died during the war, to rebuild the economy and fill job shortages. The British Government asked the Caribbean countries that they colonised (at the time) to help rebuild the country and promised jobs in NHS, transportation and postal service.
There was an advert from a Jamaican newspaper that notified people of a ship called Empire Windrush that would sail to the Caribbean nations from the UK many people were looking to start a new life, and were looking for better opportunities and for many people, it was to escape poverty.
In 1948, the British government passed a law known as the British Nationality Act, which gave people from British colonies the right to work in the country.
According to the BBC, this meant that people who got a Commonwealth passport could work in the UK and this also meant that they could bring their children on their parents’ passports and there was no need to bring more documents to prove they had the right to work in Britain.
The Windrush ship set off and travelled to different countries in the Caribbean, such as Guyana, Jamaica, Grenada, St. Lucia, and Trinidad and Tobago.
The ship carried 1,027 passengers, including famous individuals like the singer Lord Kitchener, who was once known as the ‘King of Calypso’.
According to the National Archives, a 21-year-old Trinidadian musician called Mona Baptiste became successful in Europe and sang in French, German and Spanish.
The secret document reveals the worries about immigration
A gif of 2 black women acting shocked by Giphy from Canva. Did you know that a group of MPs got together to warn former Prime Minister Clement Atlee to tell him he should stop the Windrush ship from arriving in the UK?
Two days before the Windrush ship arrived, a group of MPs expressed concern about the influx of non-white citizens coming to work in the UK.
Another document revealed that government officials asked the government to stop Caribbean citizens on the Ormonde ship that arrived in Liverpool in 1947.
The document revealed they had no particular skills, which is false because many people on the ship had skills suitable for the jobs that needed employees.
Life was tough for them. They faced racism, which is a global racist system, but they persevered and continued to build a better life for themselves. And some people found jobs as nurses in the NHS, nursing homes, cleaning and factory work.
What happened to the Windrush Generation when they arrived?
The ship docked in Essex on June 22, 1948, which is known as Windrush Day. Many people from the Caribbean migrated to Britain between 1948 and 1971. In 1971, the Nationality Act allowed the right for people to live in the UK permanently.
Work permits replaced employment vouchers, which implies temporary work. An important point is that immigration in the UK became stricter because by the time it was 1971, 500,000 people from the Commonwealth countries had settled in the UK.
One consideration is that individuals who migrated between 1948 and 1971 learned that Britain was their mother country. And that there would be jobs available. However, the UK greeted them with racism and hostility once they settled in.
How was the Windrush generation treated?
Racism denied them jobs and accommodations, prompting them to start businesses such as barbershops, hairdressers, fashion, market stalls, design and restaurants, which provided them with income and helped the communities thrive.
Communal gatherings provided a sense of community that took place in living rooms known as “blue parties” or shebeens, which is an Irish slang.
An image of a dinner party at a living room created by Afro Lit Stories using AI. These blue parties became more popular, and this led to famous events such as the famous Notting Hill Carnival in London which takes place every August.
An image of a black band created by Afro Lit Stories using AI from Canva. How have they shaped black British culture?
According to poet, novelist and musician Anthony Joseph, the Windrush generation brought art, literature, music and food to Britain. Ska came before reggae and Lord Shawty coined the term ‘soul of calypso’ to revive calypso in the 1970s.
One part of culture which is essential to society is music. A lot of the music that people listen to today originated from the different Caribbean styles of music, such as ska and reggae.
In addition, the sound system culture played a role in shaping black British music because this is where they created their underground events because of exclusion from the mainstream.
This music technology has led to the creation of other electronic genres like dubstep, jungle, garage, grime, and drum ‘n’ bass. Ska, dub and reggae influences punk rock and new wave.
There are many businesses that have contributed to providing communities for black people such as students, veterans, freed and enslaved people.
These were cafes, bars and social clubs that provided a safe haven for black communities. This happened before the Windrush generation arrived in Britain. Restaurants such as The Old Trafford Bakery and Mister Patty in the 1960s and the Black and White, Mangrove Nine and R&JJ in London.
What is the Windrush Scandal?
The Immigration Act in 2014 required that employers, landlords, banks and NHS check the immigration status of people who may be illegal immigrants living in the UK.
These laws allowed people to work here and live in the UK permanently, linking the scandal to the immigration acts of 1971 and 1948.
The Windrush scandal made headlines in 2017 under the former Prime Minister Theresa May’s government. Other news revealed that in 2010, The Home Office destroyed landing cards without explaining why they destroyed these documents.
The Windrush scandal made headlines in 2017 under the former Prime Minister Theresa May’s government at the time.
In 2010, the Home Office destroyed landing cards without explaining their actions. In 2018, it came to light that the Home Office failed to keep records or provide victims with necessary paperwork to show their status.
This scandal also impacted finances and mental health by causing job losses, denying healthcare, and destroying lives
In 2019, the government established the Windrush compensation scheme to help individuals who were wrongly detained.
However, critics have accused the compensation scheme of not taking matters seriously, such as delays in payment and giving low offers.
Final Thoughts
A few years ago, a TV drama called Sitting in Limbo aired. It’s a really good drama that gives you an idea of what they went through in terms of finding the evidence, dealing with the home office, detention, and deportation.
It’s a contradiction as well because, on one hand, they could work in the UK with the documents and now they had to show evidence that they could live here legally.
And why would the home office destroy evidence and then the law changes which ask people to show proof of residency? Something doesn’t add up.
Thank you for reading the blog post, I hope you enjoyed reading it and leave a comment below and let me know what you think of the topic.
Please share the blog post with other black women interested in black British history and who would enjoy this type of content.
-
A New Era: Reshaping The Representation Of Black Women In The Digital Space And Disrupting Stereotypes
We know that the power of media can influence the way we perceive people. We are aware of how stereotypes of black women can perpetuate the negative representation of black women globally.
This can affect black women negatively and this is represented in many ways that degrade black womanhood such as hip-hop videos where black women are used as objects and the term “baby mama” which places a negative stigma on black motherhood.
2 black women sitting on the floor with one arm on the knee, posing and smiling. Photo by Alex Starnes from Pexels on Canva. 
Photo of a black woman with a long long-sleeved shirt by Dellon Thomas on Pexels. This is why this topic is important because positive representation of black women is crucial for self-confidence, higher self-esteem and self-worth which we know is crucial for believing in yourself.
Post-Brexit has amplified how other people’s experiences and opinions about topics such as immigration contributed to the UK leaving the European Union in 2016. Covid-19 affected the mental health of black communities and increased the existing health inequalities since black communities were more affected due to lockdown.
In terms of documenting the experiences of black women, there haven’t been many reports that have spoken about black women’s experiences in the UK. A report by Springer published by Francesca Sobande talks about a report written in 1995 by the European Women’s Lobby that was based on women from different ethnic backgrounds. There isn’t a lot of information about this report so it is unknown how much progress was made from this study.
This is important because social media, blogs and search engines have created spaces for black women to discuss diverse topics that can help build online communities and connect with other black women from different cultures, ethnic groups, languages and occupational backgrounds.
This relates to the stereotypes because digital experiences have enabled many black women to change the way the mainstream media have portrayed black women through the power of storytelling.
The Black Cultural Archive is the only organisation in the UK that archives and preserves the black experiences of people of African and Caribbean descent.
Black Feminist Organisation and Experiences
There has been a history of black feminist organisations that have provided spaces for black women to meet and discuss the issues that relate to black women in the UK during the 1970s and 1980s.
They focused on several political, social and cultural issues ranging from reproductive health, immigration, culture, housing and health. These topics were discussed using their newsletter Speak Out.
There have been events that have focused on black women such as International Women’s Week at the black art gallery in 1986, and the Black Women and Media Conference in the factory in West London in 1984 provided spaces for black women to amplify their voices.
Also, the National Black Women’s Conference hosted by the Organisation of Women of African and Asian Descent in 1980.
The Brixton Black Women’s Group were instrumental in making sure that black women’s voices were heard and felt supported and they provided a place for other black women to meet, network and discuss in a safe space.
Stereotypes And The Representation of Black Women in the USA
The exploitation of the black woman’s image has been known and documented, it has been a profitable yet negative way of stereotyping black women that has controlled the way some people perceive black women. There are 4 black stereotypes that have been dominating the film industry for a long time and black culture. These are baby mama image, Mammy, Sapphire and Jezebel.
Mammy– The Enslaved Negative Stereotype
The Mammy character is rooted in racism and colourism and this is a character that was designed to be degraded by the white audiences. According to the author and professor Marquita M. Gammage of the book Representation of Black Women in the Media, she explained that these images were designed to ridicule black women to justify the mistreatment, racial discrimination and physical and sexual assault of black women.
According to the BBC, this stereotype originated in the USA and was influenced by transatlantic slavery in the USA. Historians have stated that 90% of enslaved black women during slavery at the time died young and this implies that the idea of Mammy is fictional.
Mammy is described as an overweight, dark-skinned black woman, a myth created to romanticise the idea of slavery, she worked in the white slaveowner’s house was loyal to the white family and prioritised her needs towards the children of the slaveowners more than her own family.
In her book, Professor Gammage explained that this myth was created to maintain the racist system because slavery was a legal, economic system that produced wealth for the white slaveowners.
Racist films such as Gone With The Wind have contributed to the development of black characters that ridicule black people. In the film, the Oscar-winning actress Hattie McDaniel plays a maid who isn’t seen as feminine or attractive. She was operating from her masculine energy based on the environment that was designed to abuse her. One thing to note is that she was in her superwoman image of doing everything.
This film revealed many concepts such as beauty and femininity, because in the West whiteness is the standard of beauty and anything that is not white is the opposite. This is why Hattie McDaniel and the other black actresses were not perceived with femininity, honour and grace in the film. These roles were not created for positive representation of black women but rather harmful to black womanhood.
The Jezebel Stereotype
Another famous stereotype used to devalue black womanhood is the Jezebel image. This image was created as a sexually liberated black woman who could potentially lure white men to bed.
She was perceived as a younger or middle-aged woman who was hypersexual and couldn’t control her sexual desires. According to the Open Edition journal, Jezebel was a promiscuous woman and as a result, this justified the white slaveowners to sexually abuse enslaved black women based on a myth.
An example that was used in Professor Gammage’s book was Olivia Pope from Scandal. Even though Ms Pope is smart and driven, the idea that she could be seen as Jezebel was the fact that she had an affair with the President and this may look like she lured the President when in reality they made their own decisions to have a secret affair.
The Sapphire Stereotype
This stereotype is based on the idea of the so-called angry black woman, this was an attempt to control how black women are supposed to feel when we know the importance of expressing our emotions. When black women are not allowed to process our emotions we are given the label-angry black woman.
In comparison, the benefits of white privilege allow white women to process their emotions means that the whole group of white women isn’t judged and because white men have uplifted white women as the standard of beauty where whiteness is valued globally, white womanhood isn’t judged, and white women are welcomed with empathy when they are angry.
An article by the BBC portrayed Serena Williams as the “angry black woman” when she was given a penalty for breaking her racquet, another penalty for calling the umpire “a thief” and a code violation for coaching during the US Open final in 2018 against the mixed-race tennis player Naomi Osaka. This included getting fined £13,000($17,000).
In comparison, in the film Home Alone, there is a scene where the mum is at the airport feeling angry because she left her son home alone while she was talking to the staff at the airport.
If you watch the scene you can tell she’s upset but if she was a black woman who left her son home alone- most likely she would have been labelled crazy and would have been stigmatised as a black mother.
In this case, she would have been emasculating her husband, lacked maternal instinct and did not care about her responsibilities as a mother.
This is how deep the racist stereotype of black women has influenced the perception of black women which is why it is important to point out the hypocrisy because we forget how deep the racial stereotyping has even influenced how black mothers are treated in the black community.
The Baby Mama Stereotype
According to the 34st the term “baby mama” is an African-American slang given to black women who are mothers. Baby Mama is being used to portray black women as a problem because it shows much respect and values black men place on black women. Both parents have responsibility for raising their child however, in the black community, the mother tends to be ostracised more compared to black men who are absentee fathers.
An example is Russell Wilson who raises her son that she had with rapper Future who is uplifted by black men despite having children with different women and not taking accountability for being more involved with his children.
This is something you hear on social media about many black men who don’t feel the need to raise their children and provide financial support which sends the wrong message to the younger generation and this is something that needs to be discussed especially in the UK.
A single parent shouldn’t be blamed for raising her child when the father decides not to be in the picture. She is already in her masculine and feminine energy to nurture and provide and this explains why black women have to be strong to cope because it can lead to health issues.
The Positive Representation of Black Women
2 black twins with locs looking at their smartphone. Photo by THE PALMER on Canva The blogosphere and social media have provided great opportunities for black women to talk about their experiences. It has allowed black women to amplify their voices online and enable black women to connect with other like-minded black women.
Digital content reflects the authentic voices of black women globally instead of relying on the mainstream media to tell our stories, this opens up more opportunities for black women to take control of their narrative.
It disrupts the stereotype that the mainstream media has been using to portray black womanhood. Search engines such as YouTube have provided many opportunities for black content creators because black women can search and build communities in places that aren’t as diverse such as gaming, anime or beauty.
A woman recording her podcast. Photo by Anna stills These publications are some of the independent online magazines that cater to the experiences of black women. They are:
There are more recent TV series that focus on black women’s stories and experiences such as Insecure, Awkward Black Girl, How To Get Away With Murder, Scandal and Queen Sugar which features a dark-skinned actress called Rutina Wesley as Nova Bordelon as one of the main characters who is a bisexual, free-spirited and spiritual woman.
Recently, Channel 4 aired the show ‘Queenie’ based on the book of the same name by the author Candice McCarty-Williams. The book is great, frustrating and enjoyable(I would recommend reading it if you haven’t read it yet).
Conclusion
This post explores the representation of black women looking at digital experiences in the UK and negative stereotypes and the USA. The representation of black women can progress when we focus on telling our stories.
Yes, it’s important to see yourself positively on TV, however, there is a need for black women to continue telling the narratives are authentic and beneficial for better representation.
This is why platforms such as Black Ballad and Black Girl Fest are as important as TV shows such as Insecure because the show was created by black actress and entrepreneur Issa Rae.
It was joyful to see the representation of black millennial women living life dealing with adulting, relationships, ghosting and family in a way that shows the range of emotions and without the need to ridicule black women.
Also, black women have a huge spending power and this means that we can invest in diverse stories and feature black women as multifaceted with various interests, doing activities that you don’t see day to day and the stories are compelling even if they involve suffering, it’s written from black women’s perspective.
Thank you for reading this blog post, I hope you enjoyed this topic and if it was interesting to you, let me know what you thought about it in the comments and let’s start a conversation. I will be writing more about this topic because documenting our experiences as black women is crucial.
eBook: Representation of Black Women in the Media: The Damnation of Black Womanhood by Marquita Marie Gammage.
-
Toxic Black Father-Daughter Relationships: A Closer Look
Disclaimer: This article is an educational content based on providing information. I am not a qualified psychologist or a mental health professional. This has been written to the best of my knowledge and it may contain some errors and omissions. I have the right to change the focus of my blog at any time. Read this at your own risk.
Introduction
Delving into the 3rd topic of the toxic parenting series, this topic of toxic black fathers is essential because you don’t often hear about toxic African fathers in the black community. When fathers are physically present and take an active role in playing and communicating with their children regularly, it is beneficial for their children.
The assumption is that there will be a close relationship when there is a father in the house, this isn’t always the case because there are fathers who can be toxic, and emotionally immature and this can create a miserable environment that rejects emotional expression.
One thing we need to examine is the poor relationship fathers can have with their children and the presence of toxic masculinity in the household.
A black man sitting on the couch wearing a tan T-shirt and grey joggers. What Is Toxic Masculinity?
According to Psychology Today, “toxic masculinity is a set of rules that determines how boys and men should behave in society.” Just so we are clear, there is nothing wrong with masculinity itself, everyone has masculine and feminine energies and we need the balance.
A gif from Giphy on Canva of Tasha from the crime drama show Power saying mm, it’s a you problem. The New York Times and Psychology Today listed the rules of toxic masculinity:
- Have to be tough
- Aggressive
- Hiding emotions and distress
- Suffer in silence
- Shouldn’t ask for help or seek comfort
These set of rules have taught men that emotional expression is a weakness that connecting with your emotions is wrong and that boys don’t cry.
We know the importance of making emotional connections, when people are not allowed to cry or given space where they can express themselves it leads to severe issues.
An image illustrated by AI on Canva of a young teenage girl sitting on the stairs looking sad. What Are The Origins Of Toxic Masculinity?
In the 1980s, a psychologist called Shepherd Bliss analysed the idea of toxic masculinity by separating the positive and negative traits and used the term toxic masculinity as a way to differentiate the characteristics.
The results of the negative traits included “avoiding emotional expression, the need to be physically and sexually dominant and degrading women’s right to have ownership over the bodies.”
This is interesting because this study highlighted how toxic masculinity is present today and influences patriarchy because men control society, and they are the majority of governments globally including controlling the right for women to have ownership of their bodies toxic masculinity also affects people from the LGBTQ community as well.
An example of that is abortion rights and how difficult it will be for women especially black women to have access to clinics where they can have safe abortions in the USA. Men have advantages in society simply because they are male which is why they earn more money than women.
A GIF from Canva of a white, bearded dark-haired guy saying that toxic masculinity is a problem. Addressing Toxic Masculine Traits in African fathers
According to VOA, Trevor Davies, the director of the African Fatherhood programme has urged black men to start taking an active role in fatherhood and not let toxic masculinity stop them from bonding with their children.
Furthermore, toxic masculinity has led to severe consequences such as gender-based violence, sexual violence and femicide which affects women globally especially black women who have to deal with these issues in some African countries. It has also been linked to the overrepresentation of men in prisons in the USA.
An article by New Lines Magazine stated that there is a growing issue of the manosphere in Kenya and South Africa. This is a group of dangerous, misogynistic men that sit online to degrade women and in the black community they disrespect and advocate for violence against black women; and do what they can to paint us as the problem when in reality it’s black men.
This is essential because there is already a huge problem of violence against women and femicide in Kenya and South Africa and there is a huge problem of sexual violence against women in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Toxic masculinity is a global issue because it is affecting everyone including father-daughter relationships in black communities. The traits and signs of a toxic father make it very difficult to form a relationship with an emotionally immature parent.
The fact that a father is willing to harm his own family whilst children are growing up, shows that there is no love, if someone abuses you there is no love, only control.
Toxic fathers who are toxic don’t spend enough time with their children, actively trying to get to know them instead there is patronising, blaming, lack of accountability, manipulation and control.
If that’s what toxic black fathers think it means to be a father, then they are truly mistaken, it doesn’t help with the fact that other factors contribute such as media, parents/upbringing and culture.
A GIF from Canva of a black man saying that you’re supposed to be rugged and tough. The Signs Of an Unhealthy Father-Daughter Relationship
An image generated by AI on Canva shows a black father sitting on the couch with his daughter. An unhealthy father-and-daughter relationship affects both the daughter and the father because the father hasn’t spent the time getting to know his children.
If his daughter is only getting negative behaviours from her father this results in the daughter who is now an adult not wanting to be in the same space as him.
Toxic fathers do not create a healthy environment where children can speak up and have their emotions validated and appreciated.
The Minds Journal included a list of signs to look out for:
- Abuse- If you had to give yourself some reassurance before you dealt with your parents and you walked on eggshells- that is a toxic sign.
- Not present emotionally- if a father is physically there and not emotionally connecting with his child then this means that he’s closed off and suppressing emotions which was highly likely taught to him when he was younger. If he’s never expressed his emotions openly or never hugged you or said I love you that is a clear sign that toxic masculinity has been passed onto him.
Psych2go added the lack of open communication- this is another clear sign because toxic African parents do not let their children have their own opinions let alone argue with them. The avoidance of emotional connection has made it difficult to connect with fathers on a deeper level which leads to broken relationships.
PureWow added other signs that affect father and daughter relationship:
- Feeling annoyed after spending time with him– if you have spent time with your father and you felt shamed, blamed, patronised or you were trying to suggest something helpful to him and that was dismissed then this is another reason why you avoid being in his presence.
- Insists on being right– he thinks his opinions matter, he’s never wrong he can mention other people’s flaws but will never admit to his flaws and traits and never take accountability for the way he raised his children.
- Selfish– Toxic fathers who are selfish do not and never consider other people’s feelings and make assumptions without understanding the child.
- Controlling– Toxic fathers are very controlling especially when it comes to clothing. There is an issue that needs to be spoken about when it comes to wearing shorts. What is it about wearing shorts that leads to disapproval and it’s not just the father’s disapproval? Even the mother can contribute to the control of their children. It has to do with controlling his daughter and only wearing clothes that are suitable for the parents which is another issue itself.
The psychological effects of growing up with toxic fathers
An unhealthy father-and-daughter relationship affects both the daughter and the father because the father hasn’t spent the time getting to know his children. The environment that was created didn’t encourage a healthy environment where children were able to speak up and have their emotions validated and appreciated.
Final Thoughts
Toxic parenting is influenced by toxic masculinity in African countries and it will continue to be an issue until there is more discussion on how toxic black fathers affect their daughter’s mental health and why it is essential to take an active role in your child’s life.
I’ve learned that it’s up to the father to make changes and that there is no point in trying to change them, they have already made their decision. What black women can do now is to start and continue healing and take steps to live a life that is beneficial for us, move forward and leave behind the toxic upbringing.
Thank you for reading this article, I hope you enjoyed reading this article and found it relatable to you. If there is a black woman that you know can benefit from this article, then feel free to share this article to them.
Don’t forget to comment below and let me know your thoughts about this article.
-
How Toxic Black Mother And Daughter Relationships Affect Black Daughters
Disclaimer: In this lifestyle blog, this article contains the blogger’s opinions and is written for educational purposes. The information that has been written is accurate to the best of my knowledge and may include some errors and omissions.
I am not a psychologist or another type of mental health professional. I reserve the right to change how this blog is being managed and the focus of this blog may change at any time. Read at your own risk.
What is emotional abuse?
Emotional abuse is a pattern of damaging behaviour that reduces self-esteem and self-confidence in children and adults. Bustle defined emotional abuse as including behaviours related to verbal abuse such as “belittling, shaming, demeaning, name-calling, teasing, silent treatment, yelling and ignoring a child.”
Also, the Mind Body Green blog stated that this type of psychological abuse affects the self-worth of children and ignores their experiences and feelings. Emotional abuse is using emotions to control children which attacks their mental health.
The Insider indicated that “the parental emotional abuse can leave wounds on the adult.” The study shows that 36% of adults experienced emotional abuse during childhood and added that most perpetrators of emotional abuse are 53.7% women and 45.3% men.
This is interesting because the statistics show that some women tend to be more emotionally abusive to their children. It doesn’t mention the racial groups, the ethnicities and the socioeconomic groups of the participants.
Based on BetterUp, childhood trauma is when “a child is exposed to a traumatic event or experience a traumatic behaviour.” An example of witnessing a traumatic event can be domestic violence between their parents and another example of experiencing trauma can be sexual, physical or emotional abuse.
This article explores emotionally abusive African mothers and the relationships between toxic black mothers and daughters.
An illustration generated by AI on Canva of a black daughter and black mother sitting on the couch. Her daughter has her arms crossed. Why are some black mothers emotionally abusive?
Research by Live, Love and Bloom explored the reasons why a toxic mother would display toxic behaviour that is damaging to her children and why she would emotionally and verbally abuse her children with no remorse.
Here are a few reasons:
- Childhood trauma– the article suggested that mothers may have experienced childhood trauma when they were younger. This would make sense especially if some mothers were exposed to traumatic events such as physical or emotional abuse that has affected them in adults and haven’t healed from the trauma.
- Poor relationship with a maternal figure– if a black woman had a poor relationship with their mothers or stepmother or another family member. This may show that they haven’t been able to develop a close relationship with the maternal figure, and this has led to the mother not having a close relationship with her children especially if she only has daughters.
- Mental health conditions– If someone has mental health conditions such as depression and anxiety, this can be linked to upbringing, the culture they grew up in and how they dealt with mental health issues.
- It’s common knowledge that there is a stigma in the black community when it comes to talking about mental health. Even though we are seeing more of the younger generation of black women who are accessing and going to therapy, the stigma is still there.
An illustration generated by AI on Canva of a black woman with an Afro wearing grey-blue-ish pyjamas looking upset. On the other hand, Bethany Webster uses the concept of the inner child to explain why some mothers emotionally abuse their children.
She explained that a lot of the abuse that her adult children experienced has to do with their mother’s inner child who hasn’t healed from the childhood trauma. They have an inner child who didn’t receive the same love and affection from their parents.
When black toxic mothers do not nurture their relationships with their daughters, the daughters may resent the toxic African mothers because they have not prioritised the time or made an effort to build a relationship with their children.
An illustration generated by Canva on AI of a black mother and her 2 daughters with her eldest daughter crossing her arms and her youngest child with her hand on her face. What are the signs of emotional abuse?
Your parents lack showing affection– if your parents never expressed affection to you when you were a child, this is because affection was probably never shown to them and it wasn’t the norm. Affection is a normal feeling towards another person, but when their children witness affection between their parents, it can seem strange because they were never shown.
Storytime
If you’re like me and you were raised by toxic parents where affection and showing emotions is never a regular experience, it becomes harder to express yourself because you live in an environment where showing affection was not displayed by your parents.
I remember when I was a teenager and I was at the dinner table in the living room, eating and talking to my older sister. My mother was staring at herself in the mirror and my dad was sitting on the couch watching TV.
And for a brief moment, me and my sister saw a bit of affection my Dad lifted his hand and my mum put her hand into his hand instead of smiling and saying aww- the romantic gesture shook us to the core.
Honestly, we were looking at each other in disbelief and it was awkward because when you have parents that don’t hug themselves or their children, the last thing you would expect is holding hands.
Why? Because our very traditional, African parents who are from the baby boomer generation never hugged each other or held hands.
Lack of apologies– it’s very difficult when your mother doesn’t apologise often because you are not used to them apologising for their actions.
Lack of praise– if you have done well in school, you might get some praise. Other than that, a mother praising her children isn’t something that is done on a regular basis.
Emotional manipulation– this is when the “perpetrator controls the victim emotionally which gives them an advantage over the victim.” This is a type of emotional abuse that has a range of tactics that can be used to control someone’s emotions.
Guiltripping– this is another manipulation tactic where the perpetrator manipulates the victim by making them feel guilty or bad about their decision. The aim is to make them feel guilty so that they can control how they think, feel and act about a decision and when guilttripping happens often- it can turn toxic.
Silent Treatment– This is another form of emotional manipulation where the mother can give her child silent treatment especially if her child has done something that didn’t make her happy. Giving silent treatment is a harsh way to punish someone because you are not allowing the child or the adult to resolve the issue.
Cruel– Some mothers who are angry about something can project their emotions towards their children.
Hide your emotions– if you have parents who are emotionally detached and the environment didn’t create a safe space to have your voice heard then you are more likely to struggle with expressing your emotions.
Teasing– repeated humiliation and insults can affect the mindset of children and adults because they will feel less confident than their peers.
Comparison to siblings– your mother can compare you to other siblings or other girls around your age group asking you why you are not like them.
Gaslighting– this is another type of emotional abuse and manipulation tactic where the perpetrator seeks to confuse the victim by telling them that their experience is invalid or crazy. This can cause confusion that makes the victim question and doubt their reality.
Emotional Detachment/Abandonment– This is when the mother isn’t present in their child’s life as an adult emotionally. However, when it comes to emotions, the parents haven’t healed yet and do not express emotions healthily. This can lead to a barrier between the mother and her daughters because she hasn’t tried to connect with her children emotionally.
Threats of physical abuse– this is a common part of parenting by African mothers. Even though it’s a harmful way of raising her children, this tactic silences her children and doesn’t allow room for disagreement or expressing themselves. Even though it doesn’t happen, black children know the actions that come with suffering the consequences.
Verbal Abuse- when you have been called a bad child or a child that isn’t respectful towards her parents that can make the child feel sad. This can lead to internalising guilt because the child disappointed her parents. Another example is the name-calling and scolding when your African mother tells you that you are worthless as a child which can reduce your self-worth.
A black and white illustration generated by AI in Canva of a black woman sitting on the window sill staring outside the window. What are the effects of a toxic Mother and Daughter relationship?
The effects of emotional abuse can be hurtful especially when it involves psychological abuse.
As you get older your mind has been affected by emotional and verbal abuse which has affected how you behave in society as a black woman. This means that you have low self-confidence and low self-esteem and you don’t think you have self-worth.
We don’t often realise that a lot of the mental health conditions that some people have could be a result of abuse. When you have been abused whether it’s physical, emotional or domestic, it can change the way you see yourself mentally, physically and emotionally.
A black and white generated AI illustration from Canva of a young black woman sitting on her desk. Here are some of the effects of a toxic-mother daughter relationship that can develop into adulthood:
Low self-esteem and confidence
Low self-esteem and confidence can stem from criticism, verbal abuse and shaming. If your mother has called you names that hurt your feelings, then your self-esteem will be low and you are not going to believe that you are a confident woman.
Having low self-esteem can impact you especially when you are used to being criticised, shamed and constantly blamed by your parents. You are going to encounter dealing with the inner critic which is the inner negative voice in you that spreads negativity to your mind.
Anxiety
Anxiety plays an important role because African mothers who are toxic use fear to control their children and this makes them scared of their parents as a child which is unfortunate. Living with a mother who used fear to raise her children can cause worry and can lead to her daughter feeling anxious at a young age which can continue into adulthood.
Depression
Concerning Science Direct, the journal article explained that depression, anxiety and childhood trauma could affect the brain and how the brain responds to trauma and mental health conditions. They added that repetitive exposure to abuse can lead to children becoming more likely to develop mental health conditions such as depression.
Imposter syndrome
This is when you feel inadequate about your skills and experience and feel like a fraud. which is a direct consequence of living and growing up as a black woman navigating life in a toxic household.
Loneliness and Isolation
In addition, loneliness and isolation, if you grew up with siblings or as an only child being isolated from other family members in a different city.
Your support system would be your parents and this can feel lonely because you don’t have a strong relationship with your parents so you are less likely to tell them things going on in your life.
If there isn’t an older maternal figure that you can turn to, then you end up keeping it to yourself.
Final Thoughts
I hope this topic resonated with you as a black woman who was raised in a toxic environment. I hope that this can encourage you to start healing, for those who have not yet healed and those who have started to heal from their past wounds.
We know that many black women living in the African Diaspora will most likely have a story about toxic parents who were emotionally abusive. This is a good start to have these conversations online with other black women in your circle who can understand your experience.
This topic isn’t discussed openly in African households especially when it comes to toxic mother and daughter relationships. The generational trauma is passed down and it affects each generation, taking into account other factors such as the country your parents grew up in, the culture, how they were treated in their families, the misogyny and the household income.
A toxic Mother and Daughter relationship is upsetting because a daughter looks to her mum for advice, love and support and when they don’t receive it, it can unravel a whole lot of issues that lead to unhappiness.
I am not saying that every black mother is toxic but there are a lot of black women who have experienced toxic relationships with their mother as a result. There has to be more accountability, awareness, education and therapy to combat this parenting style.
Remember that you cannot change your toxic mother because change is her own decision and you need to make changes for yourself so that you are in a better space mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Thank you for reading the article, it is part of the black toxic parenting series. I hope you enjoyed reading it and learned something new and helped you realise that you can unpack, reflect and heal on your terms. Let me know what you think in the comments and don’t forget to clap and save this article.
-
How Toxic Parents Affect Black Adults: Addressing The Secret Taboo
Disclaimer: This article about toxic parents is written for educational purposes. I am not a qualified psychologist or a mental health professional. There may be some errors and omissions and this post has been written accurately to the best of my knowledge. Read this at your own risk.
What is Toxic Parenting?
Toxic parenting is a pattern of negative behaviours where parents use fear, manipulation and guilt to control their children. According to Talkspace, toxic parents display negative behaviours that are damaging to their children’s self-esteem, self-worth and self-confidence in children and adults.
A graphic of a black mother and daughter facing slightly away from each other, feeling angry. A graphic by Crownlab from Canva. What It’s Like Being Raised By a Toxic Parent/s?
Raising children in an emotionally, verbally or physically abusive environment leads to a dysfunctional family; where the repetition of damaging behaviour such as emotional abuse becomes the norm and parents continue to use toxic parenting which can lead to generational trauma.
Toxic parents create a miserable environment for their children and this could lead to children feeling like they are not respected or valued. On top of that, they are not allowed to express themselves and answering back to their parents is frowned upon and perceived as disrespectful.
In addition, toxic parenting by African parents is running rampant and this issue needs to be addressed because it is affecting a lot of black adults in the African Diaspora. Any parent can be toxic regardless of race, but it is too pervasive in the black community.
Nonetheless, toxic parents are more likely to have a broken relationship with their children because African parents who are harmful do not communicate with their children not even getting to know their children and their hobbies. Instead, they focus more on blaming and criticising adult children when as they get older.
Instead of trying to fix the broken relationship, toxic parents refuse to take accountability regarding how toxic parenting has affected their children’s mental health.
A black woman is feeling sad and covering her face—graphic by Aleksse on Canva. What Are The Signs Of Toxic Parents?
An article by Psychology Today presented a list of 12 questions to help people recognise whether or not their mum, dad or parents are toxic. Here are some traits and signs that may explain their damaging behaviours:
- Emotionally and Verbally Abusive- This type of abuse is harder to recognise and it tends to affect children psychologically. This can include belittling your child, name-calling, calling you worthless and threats of violence. This can affect a child’s self-esteem when they become adults. Other forms of emotional abuse are emotional manipulation and gaslighting.
- Physically abusive- Adults who were raised by physically abusive and authoritarian parents may feel more fearful and walk on eggshells around them
- Criticism- Emotionally detached parents can criticise you on your actions such as how you have your hair, how you dress especially wearing shorts as an adult and if you wear nose piercings they will ask you why you’re wearing nose piercings.
- Emotional manipulation- Toxic parents may use emotional manipulation tactics such as emotional blackmail to get a desired action over their child.
- Control- Their child’s life is controlled in a way that they can dictate what is appropriate to wear in a house even when their children are adults.
- Blaming- They blame their children when it’s not their fault instead of taking ownership of the issue.
- Dismissive of their child’s feelings– This is typical because if parents refuse to acknowledge their feelings, they are more likely to dismiss their emotions.
- Overreact- As an adult, you may have memories of your parents overreacting over something that required them to be more understanding.
An illustration of a black woman who is depressed looking out the window. Illustration by Craftery Co on Canva. Signs That May Affect You As An Adult
Bustle outlined signs that may explain some of the behaviours that we do as adults:
- Taking failure and rejection too hard- If you see failure as a negative, this may be that you don’t see failure as a way to grow which shows that you are too hard on yourself.
- Avoiding your parents- This could be because of unresolved issues and because you didn’t grow up in an environment where open communication was encouraged, which has allowed you to reduce your contact with them.
- Inner critic- if you felt pressured to achieve higher grades because your parents told you to achieve higher after you failed that can lead to you becoming a perfectionist.
Traits of Emotionally Immature Parents
An illustration of a black woman looking angry. Illustration by Vasile-saptefrati from Canva I read a book about toxic parents who are emotionally immature and the author listed traits of emotionally immature parents that the reader can resonate with as an adult.
- Selfish- Emotionally immature parents don’t see things from other people’s perspectives, they are too focused on their own needs and don’t consider other people’s feelings.
- Lack of accountability- they don’t take accountability for the actions that may upset their children such as hurting their feelings. Instead, they pretend that everything is fine and bury issues under the rug.
- Imposing failed ambitions on their children- some African parents often tell their children that they should work in industries such as working in a bank, being a lawyer or a doctor.
- There is nothing wrong with these jobs, but parents shouldn’t impose their ambitions on their children because they may not be interested in them. It’s important to let them decide what they want to do.
What are the effects of toxic parenting?
Blunt Therapy states that children who were raised by toxic parents who were emotionally abusive are more likely to deal with mental health challenges such as imposter syndrome and may develop anxiety and depression.
In addition, toxic parenting in the black community could lead to distant relationships because they haven’t made an effort to get to know their children or take an interest in their children.
The effects of living with toxic parents are upsetting because someone may display behaviours that they learned from their parents such as giving the silent treatment. This is damaging because we may have picked up negative behaviours that were normalised in a toxic household. It’s important to recognise the steps that need to be taken to connect and express yourself. Healing is an ongoing journey.
Final Thoughts
I’m not saying all African parents are toxic, however, many adults have been affected by their upbringing. Another common thing is that therapy isn’t spoken widely amongst African parents, instead they turn to prayers.
Toxix parents must be held accountable for their parenting style because this isn’t normal. You must be mentally, financially and emotionally prepared to raise children. It’s good to see other black vloggers on YouTube speaking out about their toxic parent’s behaviour.
Thank you for reading this blog post, I appreciate your support and if you are a black woman part of the African diaspora who can relate to this post, let me know what you think about this article and how this has affected you as a black adult.
Book: Dealing With Emotionally Immature Parents: How To Handle Toxic Parents by Priscilla Posey
-
Tina Bell: The Overlooked And Forgotten Pioneer of Grunge
Disclaimer: This article is written for educational purposes to the best of my knowledge and may contain errors and omissions. I am not a qualified historian or a teacher and this blog may change focus at any time please read this at your own risk.
Introduction
When you think of grunge music, who do you think of? White men in a band such as Nirvana. Even though there are black people in famous indie rock bands such as Skunk Anansi or Bloc Party, grunge tends to be associated with predominantly white men. It ignores other bands that don’t fit into the white male image of rock music.
Who are the Bam Bam?
Did you know that a black woman called Tina Bell was in a rock band called Bam Bam who helped create the subgenre known as grunge by combining punk and heavy metal?
Bam Bam was a grunge rock band that was created in 1983 in Seattle, USA. The band included Tina Bell, the lead singer and songwriter, her husband and guitarist Tommy Martin, the drummer Matt Cameron and the bass guitarist Scotty Ledgerwood.
Cameron left the group in 1984 and formed other bands such as Soundgarden and Pearl Jam and Tom Hendrickson replaced him. Ms Bell was known for her powerful vocals and stage presence that captivated the audience.
Who is Tina Bell?
Tina Bell was born on the 5th February 1957 in Seattle and she was the oldest daughter of 10 children and sang in the Mount Zion Baptist church as a child. She attended Washington State University, studied drama, and then joined the Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute.
As a student, she was preparing to sing the French rendition of the song C’est Si Bon and needed a French tutor to help with the lyrics. She called Tommy Martin from an advert in the newspaper and Mr Martin and Ms Bell fell in love, they got married and had a son called TJ.
Bam Bam had loyal fans in Seattle and released 1 EP called Villains (Also Wear White), 2 singles called Ground Zero and Show What You Know and 2 albums called Free Fall from Space, and Bam Bam House Demo. They performed at packed gigs and live shows, and they were voted twice for the best Seattle bands and performed at the Metropolis.
An AI illustration of a black woman with a mohawk using Canva by Afro Lit Stories. What happened to Tina Bell?
According to the Culture Rock Griot interview, Ledgerwood explained that Bam Bam didn’t get the recognition they deserved because of the racism and sexism that contributed to the band being erased from grunge history.
Ledgerwood continued revealing how black women are meant to be portrayed as the “hip-hop, R&B or a soul diva” Since she was the lead singer of a rock band, it didn’t fit into the idea of what a rock band should represent at the time.
In the 1980s, Bam Bam moved to Europe with the aim that living in Europe would give them more opportunities for the band. However, things didn’t go as planned because by the time they left the USA, grunge had already reached the mainstream audience, and living in Europe didn’t advance their careers.
As the writer Jen B. Larson wrote in the article by The Stranger she explains that “audiences were not ready to see an African-American in a rock band.”
The lack of acknowledgement affected the band especially Ms Bell since she helped grunge thrive and erasure is nothing new to black artists who have created and innovated music, only to be forgotten. They returned to the US and Ms Bell left the band in 1990. She divorced Mr Martin in 1996, became depressed and turned to spirituality, religion and astrology.
How did she die?
Ms Bell died on the 10th October 2012 due to cirrhosis and struggled with depression and alcoholism. According to her son TJ Martin, Ms Bell was dead for a couple of weeks and her belongings were thrown out without notifying her family.
Final Thoughts
I hope you enjoyed reading this short blog post. I can imagine how she must have felt leaving the band, knowing how exhausted and frustrated she must have felt not receiving her recognition. The fact that I heard about her a couple of years ago shows that Ms Bell was forgotten and overlooked.
Don’t forget to share this blog post with other black women interested in knowing more about black women’s experiences and stories in society. And let me know what you think about this blog post in the comments.
-
3 Overlooked Black Women of the British Black Panthers
Disclaimer: This blog contains content that is written about British black Panthers for educational purposes. The information provided is accurate to the best of my knowledge and there may be omissions and errors. I am not a qualified teacher or historian and should not be seen as educational advice. I reserve the right to run and manage my blog and the focus of this blog may change at any time.
These 3 influential black women are known for their community activism, organising and championing black people’s rights especially black women’s rights.
An illustration of 2 black women posing by the bookshelf. Illustration from AI on Canva. Who is Altheia Jones-LeCointe?
A physician and a research scientist from Trinidad and Tobago, she was considered the leader of the British black Panthers, her experience in politics started when she was younger. Her parents were active in politics and were part of the People’s National Movement.
She moved to Britain to study chemistry at University College London and was shocked about the hostile treatment and racism she received as a black woman in the 1960s and sought groups to join that reflected her experiences.
When the British black Panthers came to support black students at the university, that is when she became more politically active in the university and joined the British Black Panthers.
During the Mangrove Nine trial, she represented and defended herself in the court system and this led to the Mangrove Nine trial being acquitted after a long trial that lasted 55 days.
She became one of the renowned activists in the British black Power movement during the 1960s and 1970s.
Who was the Brixton Black Women’s Group?
Illustration of black women at a meeting in a bookshop created using AI on Canva. After the British Black Panthers split as an organisation, Beverley Bryan, Olive Morris and Liz Obi left to create their organisation called Brixton Black Women’s Group.
This was established as a result of sexism and a lack of interest in empowering black women. They created a safe space which was necessary to focus on addressing issues concerning black women.
How did they help black women?
The organisation offered advice and support to black women in the local community, similar to the British black Panthers but this time, they were more focused on the experiences of black women.
Who is Olive Morris?
Olive Morris was an influential community activist, feminist and leader, who became active in politics when she witnessed a Nigerian diplomat being assaulted by police officers because he had a Mercedes. When she rushed to help him, she ended up being assaulted by policemen and fined.
She defended the rights of black people who squatted in empty buildings. Squatting was a common practice that happened as a result of racist housing practices. This meant that some black families were put in poor accommodation that wasn’t fit for the standard of living.
What happened after she left the British black panthers?
After she left the Panthers, she focused on building the Brixton Black Women’s Group and moved to Manchester and studied Economics and Social science degree at the University of Manchester.
While she was studying she created the Manchester Black Women’s Cooperative. She travelled globally, writing and lecturing on topics based on women’s and black empowerment and racism.
How did she pass away?
In her final years, she collaborated with another activist and writer Stella Dadzie and created OWAAD(Organisation of Women of African and Asian Descent). While she was in Spain she started to feel ill and she discovered that she developed blood cancer. Olive Morris passed away on the 12th July 1979. from a form of cancer aged 27.
Who is Beverley Bryan?
A retired professor, writer, activist and teacher, Bryan moved from Jamaica to England and attended the same school as the late activist, close friend and founder Olive Morris.
In her youth, she joined the West Indian Centre and then joined a black arts workshop and travelled to different youth clubs across the country. They used poetry and spoken word to challenge negative racial stereotypes.
After completing her teaching training at Keele University, she moved to Brixton and joined the British Black Panthers. She used education to solve issues in the black community helped educate children at the supplementary schools and taught Maths, English and History.
An illustration created by AI by Afro Lit Stories on Canva. Final Thoughts
I hope you enjoyed reading the article about the 3 powerful women and how influential they are in the black community as educators, activists and community organisers who were determined to make changes in the black community using education and knowledge of self.
If you are intrigued by black British history and want to know more about black women’s contribution then share this article with another black woman who enjoys reading this topic. And don’t forget to leave a comment and let me hear your thoughts below.
Related Articles
-
No Longer Forgotten: The British Black Panthers Story
Disclaimer: This article is written for educational purposes about British black Panthers and may include the opinions of the writer. It is accurate to the best of my knowledge but there may be omissions in this blog post. I reserve the right to change how I run and manage my blog and may change focus at any time.
A group of black people protested in the streets. Illustration from Canva. A Brief Historical Background
Before the Windrush generation arrived in June 1948, black communities were dealing with racial discrimination and racism(even though we are still dealing with racism) from members of the white society.
In 1919, there were many attacks against black people that took place in London, Manchester, Hull and South Shields.
Before the racial discrimination law was passed in 1965, there was a legal yet racist practice called the colour bar which made it extremely difficult for black people to seek and apply for jobs and accommodation.
Who were the British Black Panthers?
A Nigerian playwright called Obi Egbuna created the British black Panthers in Notting Hill, West London in 1968. Influenced by the activists of the Black Panther Party in the USA, they adopted military jackets and black power fists without using any weapons.
The aim was to address police brutality and included the idea of political blackness. The British black panthers adopted the concept of political blackness because all non-white people are affected by racism, and they decided that it would be more suitable to refer to everyone as black in the organisation.
Another key difference is that there were Asian activists involved with the British black Panthers from the beginning such as writers and activists Farrukh Dhondy and Mala Sen. Unfortunately, the presence of the founder was cut short when he was arrested for allegedly threatening the police.
Who were the members of the organisation?
The organisation grew to 3,000 people but the main activists in the organisation were Altheia Jones-LeCointe, a Trinidadian PhD student who was considered the leader of the organisation, and Eddie LeCointe, an activist and later Altheia Jones’ husband.
And the late Olive Morris, an influential community activist and leader who joined the organisation when she was younger and defended squatter’s rights.
Other renowned members included Liz Obi, an activist and feminist who was a close friend of Olive Morris. Beverley Bryan, a retired lecturer, activist and writer who used to teach children at the Saturday schools and Darcus Howe, the late Trinidadian writer and activist who was involved in the Black Power movement abroad and in the UK.
Barbara Beese, an activist who was involved in the protest and in the Mangrove Nine Trial and Neil Kenlock, a photographer who captured the important events.
An illustration of black people protesting on the streets. Illustration by Canva. What was the Mangrove Nine trial?
The Mangrove Nine was a restaurant that was established by Frank Crichlow in 1968 in Notting Hill, a Caribbean restaurant that became a haven for the black community. The restaurant attracted famous people such as the late Jimi Hendrix, Nina Simone, and Diana Ross.
However, the restaurant was known to receive harassment from the police because they thought that a successful black-owned business must have been funded by criminal activities.
Mr Crichlow sought help from the British black Panthers and on the 9th August 1970, they led a protest with 150 people which turned violent and resulted in a trial. The trial lasted for 55 days and was successful because it exposed the racism in the police force.
It was nine activists that were arrested including Altheia Jones-LeCointe, Darcus Howe, Frank Critchlow, Godfrey Millet, Rothwell Kentish, Rhodan Gordon, Barbara Beese, Rupert Boyce and Anthony Innis.
What did the British black panthers achieve?
They achieved many things such as creating supplementary schools also known as Saturday Schools and creating their newspaper called Freedom News. These schools were instrumental in making sure that black children were taught their history and instilled a sense of black pride and self-confidence.
They had branches throughout England that were located in cities such as Manchester, Bristol and Nottingham. They established the Black Power Youth League which Olive Morris and Linton Kwesi Johnson were members of when they joined the organisation.
Why did the organisation end?
The British black Panthers split in 1973 and the members decided to embark on other projects. Each activist contributed their skills and experience which made the British black Panthers successful and necessary in the black community.
According to an article by Refinery29, Altheia Jones-LeCointe mentioned that she made sure that women had their voices heard in the organisation that there were discussions based on gender roles and that there was a need for a group dedicated to black women.
The split of the organisation included sexism which the women experienced and led Olive Morris, Liz Obi and Beverly Bryan to start the Brixton Black Women’s group.
Focus on Black Male Leadership
One thing that needs to be discussed more openly is the focus on black men during the civil rights and black power movements. This is an important conversation to have because we know that black women have contributed a lot to these movements and they are not always recognised.
Black women have contributed to different black power movements and have been involved in progressing the black community and there isn’t enough recognition to acknowledge the black women activists and educators.
On the other hand, when we do learn about the black power movement in the USA, the recognition isn’t given to black women compared to black men.
The issue with Political blackness
It’s problematic to refer to everyone as black when they were not born as a black person. Yes, Asian people also suffer from racism, however the idea of referring to them as black isn’t helpful. It’s like giving away your race to people who are not black and psychologically it doesn’t make any sense.
Final Thoughts
I hope you enjoy reading about the British black panthers as much as I enjoyed researching them. It’s a shame that you don’t hear about them during school or in college.
Don’t forget to share this post and comment below about your thoughts regarding the British Black Panthers, political blackness, the focus on the men and not enough focus on black women in these black power movements and sexism.
Related Articles
-
How Anaemia Affects Fibroids: The Hidden Connection
Disclaimer: This article regarding anaemia is for educational purposes in this lifestyle blog and may include the blogger’s opinions. The information written is accurate and to the best of my knowledge, however, some information may be omitted. I am not a qualified medical professional so this should not be seen as advice. I reserve the right to change how I run and manage this blog and may change focus at any time.
Photo of iron-deficiency anaemia from Hailshadow from Getty Images Signature on Canva. Isn’t anaemia annoying? Imagine feeling sleepy at different times of the day and it keeps happening. The one thing that shocked me was that fibroids can develop as a result of being diagnosed with anaemia.
A tired black woman in a blazer is sitting in front of her laptop with headphones. Photo from dimaberlinphotos from Canva. What is anaemia?
Anaemia is a medical condition that affects your health and ultimately your energy. According to the NHS, “anaemia is when your body doesn’t have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen around your body.”
What are the symptoms of anaemia?
According to BUPA, they outlined several symptoms such as “feeling tired, weak, faint and dizzy.”Living with anaemia meant that I would feel tired a lot and I cannot stress how not having enough iron can affect your mood and overall wellness.
What causes anaemia?
As mentioned by Flo, the period tracker app, there are a few causes that can lead to anaemia such as:
- Blood loss through period- if a woman has heavy periods then a lot of the blood would be lost during menstruation which could affect the iron in the body leading to low energy.
- Not eating enough foods high in iron- another cause can be if someone isn’t eating enough iron this could pro into anaemia since the red blood cells are not getting iron.
Hungry black lady holding an empty plate and yawning from Nwezi Confidence’s Images from Canva. When was the first time I had anaemia?
My first experience with the condition happened when I was in college. I started my A-Levels in 2011 and I remember sitting on the bus feeling tired. And I started taking iron tablets hoping that it would never return.
So, what happened during lockdown?
Fast forward to 2020, COVID-19 happened and in March 2020, we went into lockdown I started to feel fatigued again. Several months later, I studied for a postgraduate degree and I went to the GP, took blood tests and discovered that I was anaemic.
Several months later, I started a postgraduate degree in 2020 and I went to the GP, took the blood tests and discovered that I had anaemia.
In April 2021, I notified the tutor in my course that I had an appointment and wouldn’t be able to attend the virtual seminar. I went to the hospital and went for an uncomfortable scan. Then, I got dressed and I went back to the waiting room.
The doctor entered the room and explained the results and she revealed that I have fibroids, I felt shocked and disappointed to hear the news and I wasn’t expecting it to lead to a shocking diagnosis.
I left the hospital feeling disheartened and decided to research fibroids when I got back to the student accommodation, only to find out that the causes may have contributed to developing fibroids.
Tips on managing your diet with anaemia and fibroids?
1. The first tip is to eat more green vegetables started to eat more green vegetables such as green beans, Broccoli and Kale. Growing up in a Congolese household my diet was meat, fish and plant-based foods. When I started university, I started to eat more plant-based foods and started to reduce dairy foods and meat intake.
2. The second tip is switching from dairy milk to plant-based milk. At university, I started to drink more plant-based milk such as Oat and Soya milk. I like soya and oat milk because they are delicious and it has been a good investment in reducing dairy.
3. The third tip is eating more potassium, I have been eating more potassium in my 20s. An article by Livestrong highlighted some of the foods that I enjoy eating that are high in potassium and good for your health. These are:
- Bananas
- Lentils
- Yoghurt
- Avocado
- Yoghurt
4. My fourth tip is taking vitamin D supplements, I have been taking vitamin D supplements as part of my medication. According to the British Heart Foundation,
“one in six adults have low levels of vitamin D.”
– british heart foundationTaking vitamin D has been a major part of my life since vitamin D manages my energy levels and eating foods that are rich in vitamin D is good for your bones and teeth.
5. The 5th tip that I want to add is eating more iron and looking for foods that are in fibre such as meat and pulses.
6. My final tip is exercise, we know that doing workouts that suit your needs and make you feel confident in yourself.
Final Thoughts
I hope you enjoyed reading this short blog post based on my experiences and how I deal with anaemia. I hope the tips that I offered were helpful and that they gave you some ideas on what you could do to manage your anaemia. The important thing is to do what works best for you and focus on your health.
Don’t forget to comment below and let me hear your thoughts about managing anaemia and fibroids. Share this article with other black women who would like to know more tips about managing anaemia. As always, I appreciate feedback on my writing.
Afro Lit Stories
Healing through storytelling, elevating black millenial women, one mindset shift at a time
