“Equally problematic are simplistic ‘feel good’ tales of how ‘back in the day’ the heroic Martin Luther King single-handedly overcame a type of racism and discrimination ‘over there’ in the US that was unknown in Britain. Research explains how history teachers in UK schools are hampered in what they can teach about the history of Britain’s BAME communities and British race relations by the narrow, overwhelmingly white, “island story” focus of the national history curriculum. Read about our approach to external linking. VideoThe voice of Johnson and Trump on Spitting Image, Africa's top shots: Hula-hooping at 60 and other feats, Avoiding war in the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. Currently the UK history curriculum pays little attention to black British history, but students often study Martin Luther King and the US civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. We deliver our content into schools, using a range of art modes such as drama and poetry. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Would you ride in a robot taxi? THE WAY in which black British history and the US civil rights movement are taught in UK schools needs to be updated to include more emphasis on Britain’s racial minorities and imperial past, according to new research. Video, Gavin the paddleboarding seal becomes local celebrity, Covid: Donald Trump and Melania test positive, Trump condemns all white supremacists after Proud Boys row. Required fields are marked *. Thanks to funding from Northumbria University it is now freely available for teachers to use, reproduce and distribute. .css-po6dm6-ItalicText{font-style:italic;}Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? Northumbria is a research-rich, business-focused, professional university with a global reputation for academic excellence. Brian Ward, Professor in American Studies at Northumbria University, “He was shot because America will not give up on racism”: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the African American civil rights movement in British schools, this article, written for The Conversation, Martin Luther King in Newcastle upon Tyne, Find out more about studying American Studies at Northumbria University. Professor Ward adds: “UK history teachers generally do a great job. We also provide consultations and training for teachers across the country to teach Black … Your email address will not be published. Copyright 2020 © GV Media Group Ltd. All rights reserved. Your email address will not be published. Black Lives Matter calls for all races to learn more about Black history and racism – these books will help to educate you about systems in the UK and US. Now it is indefensible amid an international Black Lives Matter campaign and widespread calls to engage more honestly with the racist legacies of Britain’s own imperial past.”. VideoGavin the paddleboarding seal becomes local celebrity, .css-orcmk8-HeadlineContainer{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-box-pack:justify;-webkit-justify-content:space-between;-ms-flex-pack:justify;justify-content:space-between;}Covid: Donald Trump and Melania test positive.css-1dedj2h-Rank{-webkit-align-self:center;-ms-flex-item-align:center;align-self:center;color:#B80000;margin-left:3.125rem;}1, Trump condemns all white supremacists after Proud Boys row2, US election 2020 polls: Who is ahead - Trump or Biden?3, Playboy goes from private to public in new venture4, Chinese vlogger dies after 'set on fire by ex during live stream'5, MP Margaret Ferrier's Covid Parliament trip 'indefensible'6, EU warns Turkey of sanctions over 'provocations' in Mediterranean7, Delphine Boël: Belgium ex-king's love child wins royal titles8, Nearly 20,000 Covid-19 cases among Amazon workers9, US airlines lay off thousands of staff as federal relief ends10. Brian Ward is Professor in American Studies at Northumbria University and internationally recognised as a leading authority on the African American freedom struggle and its links to the history of British race relations. YELLOW warning for heavy rain - this is when it will hit Blackburn, Information about BBC links to other news sites, Trump and Melania test positive for coronavirus. The councilâs head of education, Jo Siddle, said the authority was "aware that there had been a complaint". Video, The voice of Johnson and Trump on Spitting Image, Avoiding war in the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict. We believe that by delivering arts focused Black history programmes, providing teacher training and campaigning through mobilising young people, we can facilitate social change. She added that the council "has a wide programme available to support schools with a variety of home resources for schools, teachers and parents". Video, C$1m cash seized in 'illegal casino' mansion raid, The voice of Johnson and Trump on Spitting Image. With limited time and resources available, many teachers also struggle to keep up with the latest scholarship when teaching about King and the US civil rights movement for GCSEs, A Levels, or Scottish Highers. There needs to be more Black British history taught in UK schools. You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk, .css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link{color:inherit;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{color:#696969;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:hover,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link:focus,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited:focus{color:#B80000;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;}.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:link::after,.css-1hlxxic-PromoLink:visited::after{content:'';position:absolute;top:0;right:0;bottom:0;left:0;z-index:2;}Here's why a main road in Blackburn was closed for nearly two hours, Man suspected of double murder in West Midlands is arrested in Lancashire, Fury after cruel thieves steal autistic young man's bike from outside Pendle supermarket. Find out more about studying American Studies at Northumbria University or come along to a virtual open day. The US president and Melania Trump were tested after his close aide was confirmed to have Covid-19. The research, entitled “He was shot because America will not give up on racism”: Martin Luther King, Jr. and the African American civil rights movement in British schools, has been published by The Journal of American Studies. Here's why a main road in Blackburn was closed for nearly two hours, C$1m cash seized in 'illegal casino' mansion raid. The cartoon ogre appeared in a St Matthewâs Primary School newsletter as an "assembly resource" to help teach about the movement's "empathy, diversity and collective value". Northumbria University has one of the largest and most active centres for American Studies in Europe – bringing together academics with expertise in the history, literature and culture of the United States. He said that after the "death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement, I shared an assembly resource" in a newsletter about home-schooling. His book Martin Luther King in Newcastle upon Tyne provided the foundations for the Freedom City 2017 celebrations of racial diversity in the North East. Teaching Martin Luther King and the US civil rights movement in the age of Black Lives Matter . VideoWould you ride in a robot taxi? Can you trust US polls? âThe choice of character was based on a figure that would be familiar to the children.". US election 2020 polls: Who is ahead - Trump or Biden? The Black Curriculum is an initiative that teaches Black history all year round in the school year, to 8-16 year olds.