The Black Image
A very revealing presentation and film which shows how the image of African people has been deliberately altered by Europeans to show negativity. In the 15th century African people were portrayed in European art as noble, sophisticated and intelligent. With the rise of Empire these images were thrown out and replaced with demeaning stereotypes which still inform public opinion via children’s books and Hollywood movies..
How to Brainwash the Youth and make them act like Fools !
An in-your-face seminar aimed at young adults to illustrate how they are conditioned via Hollywood movies, music videos, computer games and advertising to act dumb and love it. This presentation uses popular and mainstream culture combined with a black history perspective. Scary Movie, Predator,Soulja Boy, Lil Wayne,Futurama, Disney, 300, GTA, Pussycat dolls, Mariah Carey, Nelly, Etana,Lord of the Rings, Pirates of Caribbean, Manhunter all make an appearance
‘I have been meaning to write you all week to thank you for the informative and thought-provoking session you held for ACD students last week. It was tremendous.What was really satisfying is that you held their attention throughout the 3 hour session even in the not ideal situation of being cramped into the foyer space due to the projector being taken by another organisation. Brenda King, African Caribbean Diversity Group
‘Just to say, once again, thanks for the fabulous presentation yesterday. It is always great to be around children when they are learning something new and enlightening for them’ Marva Bell Pivot Point Community Project Harrow.
I’m a student who is part of the ACDiversity programme and you came in to talk to us about the issue of ‘How to brainwash the youth and make them look like idiots’ This was so so powerful and helped shape my view on what the media feeds me. I have a few friends around my age, I’m eighteen by the way, who I believe will truly benefit from this as I think it needs to be seen by A LOT more youth who are mature enough to take it in and understand. Peter Adefioye
‘I loved the way the speaker would just ask questions and make us find the answers ourselves. This is perfect because what is the point of coming to an event to counter brainwashing, only to have someone else tell you what to think. The speakers way was much better plus filling in the blank yourself means that it is more likely to stay in your head.’
Joe Bloog
I have thoroughly enjoyed the presentations which took place on Saturday 30 March 2013 about African Superheroes and on Monday 1 April 2013 about How to Brainwash the Youth.. These experiences made me research African Superheroes and the stories behind some of them, the real story behind Black Hawk Down, Educationally Sub Normal schools, The Birth of a Nation (DW Griffith), The significance of Egyptian Obelisks and Pyramids and Wesley Snipes/Blade, thank you for provoking my intellectual curiosity.
Carol Aka
The Black History of the Olympics
A ninety minute whistlestop tour through the history of people of African descent in the Olympics and the world events included in the Olympic timeframe. Heroic and amazing inspirational stories, the Olympic role in US civil rights, little known facts about forgotten black athletes. Plus movies, books, and websites with more information for the curious
How to Support your Child Through the Educational Process
A seminar about what you can do to combat racism in the school system and achieve academic excellence amongst the youth.
There will be presentations on personal and institutional racism and the resources available to combat it. You will also hear practical examples of what parents/carers can do to assist children through the educational system
‘Thank you very much for taking part in our joint conference this Saturday. I hope you gained as much for the day as we did. I thought your presentation was brilliant . I could see that everyone was listening and watching intently as well as taking part.’ Rehena Prior BAOUK Home Educators
Somalis: The Facts behind the Headlines
Often in the news in certain roles but what do we really know of the Somali people ? In this 2 hour presentation we cover the 5 nation Somali Empire of the 1800’s and..
- Somali cultural trade links with China in the 15th century
- Queens of the Land of Punt
- Frankincense, the ancient currency of the Phaorahs
- Somalis in WW2. The War against Japan
- The Suez Canal, the Red Sea and the Space Shuttle
- 10 Famous Somalis you’ve never heard of
- The real story behind Black Hawk Down
- 150 years of Somalis in England
‘One word for Black History Walks .. MahshaAllah ! I loved every single bit of it ! ‘ Fahdi Mohamed ‘The group found the talk extremely useful, they were talking about it for days afterward ! Then they had a radio show dedicated just to what they discovered on the day’ Leyla Hussein Somali Youth Forum ‘We have learned so many things from this session!’ Maxamed Asahaf Anti-Tribalism Movement
What made Obama successful, what makes you successful ?
A interactive training seminar to examine what strategies and approaches Obama implemented to achieve his objective of becoming the USA’s first African-American president. Parallels will be drawn from his relentless desire and motivation to succeed and how this can be incorporated into your own personal development and growth.There have been many positive role models throughout the generations and we will cross reference the British and US civil rights movement revealing some home-grown achievers who, for some reason, have escaped public recognition. This presentation was originally designed and delivered to staff at Westminster Council Diveristy in Feb 2009
‘I would like to thank Black History Walks for a very informative, inspiring and motivational session.’ ‘An informative and enabling seminar with good interactions between the presenter and audience and amongst the audience themselves’ Westminster Staff Diversity Group
Black Women and Breast Cancer
This presentation aims to empower women with information to help defeat breast cancer. It will cover:
* The reality of risk rates for black women; how white women skew the risk indicators
* 5 steps you can take to reduce your risk ,
* How not breast feeding can increase your risk
* What food and lifestyles increase liability
* The signs that ensure early detection.
* How such information is made difficult to access (there has only ever been one study on how cancer affects black women in the UK)
‘Loved it! Very interesting and helpful !’
‘I’d love to see more such workshops as I felt the whole experience was really informative’
‘The speaker was very knowledgeable and helpful ‘ Various audience members, Science Museum 8 July 2010
Black Scientists and Inventors
A fascinating, comprehensive run down of everyday appliances developed by black people as well as phenomenal scientific achievements that have gone unnoticed. Areas include: blood transfusion, nuclear technology, ancient African astronomy, vaccinations,torpedoes,space,computers, optometry,biology, mechanics and architecture.
Medical Apartheid: 400 years of European experiments on African bodies
A review of the scientific experiments and research performed on black
people to refine various drugs and medical treatments for use with white people
This presentation will draw on Harriet Washington’s book of the same name, various
documentation from World Wars 1/2, Aboriginal history, Vietnam, US Prisons and Porton Down. It covers:
*Radioactive People: North Africa and the Pacific
*Birth and Crowd Control: The South African Solution, Project Coast
*National Security Memorandum 200
*Vic Mackie and Congressional Inquiries
*The ‘War on Drugs’, Haiti and Jamaica
*The Mau Mau, Kenya and the Brixton Riots
African Superheroes Day
Many artists are making up for the severe lack of positive images of black people in animated films and comics. This animation festival for 6-60 year olds, will feature a variety of African-themed cartoons which tell tales of; Magical Nigerian women warriors, Anansi the West African Folk Hero, The story of Ogun and more. We also analyse and expose the unsavoury elements of corporations like Disney and how they stereotype gender and race in some of their most popular cartoon
‘The African super heroes session today was great ! My two children really, enjoyed it. They couldn’t wait to get home and watch the DVD, which they did more than once . It’s 8.42am and the first thing all of my children are watching is that DvD i bought from you on Sunday (lol) no joke. My 14 year old daughter, my 7 year old son and my 3 year old daughter are watching as I e-mail you but I need some more ! My children are hooked on the images and the story lines of all of them.
Kehinde Ogunlabi
Superman: the Black History Breakdown
Man of Steel was one of 2013’s biggest blockbusters but many are unaware of the themes. images and motifs within the whole Superman mythology that link directly into Black History. This two hour movie breakdown goes into
- The Origins of Superman
- Product Placement
- The concept of the ‘other’ in literature
- Hollywoods hidden history of discrimination
- Marvel vs DC Comics and diversity
- Movies as cultural dominance
How True African Dance was Corrupted into Porn
African dance and culture has often been appropriated by Europeans and divorced from its roots. This presentation aims to give a general background to African dance and show how movements/styles were borrowed or imitated by various European cultures.Those cultures would then re-name and take credit for the movements or totally pervert them. We will also deal with sexism and racism in the music/fashion and dance business.
The presentation covers:
- A selection of African civilisations pre or co-existing European invasion
- Original purpose of African dance
- Weddings, fertility, birthdays, rites of passage
- Appropriate African dress for dance
- Dance as politics. European censorship and disgust
- Popular dances in the West that have African origins/elements
- African beats in the Top Ten but not called African
- Zouk, Salsa, Hip Hop, Ventilator,Capoeira,Azonto,Twerking, Kompa
- Corruption of image and values
Audience Feedback
‘Yesterday’s presentation was brilliant – connecting so many important issues, very entertaining and a great double-act between the two of you. You’ve got to repeat it !’ Anne Braithwaite
Sex and Race in the Learing Space: ‘Outstanding’ Academies ? Secrets of English Schools revealed
If the education sector, government and OFSTED all agree that most of these new academies are delivering excellent standards of education and these schools can be confidently labelled as ‘outstanding’ schools, why are African, Caribbean and Mixed Race children underachieving in larger numbers than ever before? When a Black child is excluded from a school that has ‘outstanding’ status, what does that say about the child and their parents? Neil Mayers, education consultant and author of the classic Gifted At Primary, Failing By Secondary, explodes some of the myths surrounding these new academies as well as providing practical and proven strategies of success for children of all background. He will cover
- Light skin supremacy in the classroom: How it works
- Sex and race in the learning space
- How teachers who get outstanding results are hounded out of the system
- 10 things parents can do to improve their childs performance
- How he got his students to teach themselves and still pass their exams two years ahead of schedule with ‘A’ stars
- How history impacts mathematics
- What goes on in the staff room that affects your home
- How to spot a racist school
- US charter schools and UK Academies whats the difference
Banged Up, Gone Straight
Specially designed for use with at-risk youth, young offenders and prisoners. This is about the influence of popular culture and lack of history/role models We feature 15 mostly unknown individuals who have been inside then come out, gone straight and been successful. On certain dates it may be possible for this talk to be delivered by an ex-offender
Who was Michael X ?
A Trini ‘bwoy’ rolls off a boat into 1950s London. Ten years later he’s the most famous black man in Britain, but who was Michael X? The ‘authentic voice of black bitterness’ [Observer 1965] or the ex Rachman henchman for whom politics was just another hustle? We chart the life of the controversial black power activist Michael de Freitas/Michael X. He went from being a pimp and drug dealer in London’s Ladbroke Grove, to disciple of Malcolm X following a chance meeting. As well as living a chequered and flamboyant life, Michael’s death is also shrouded in controversy, after leaving London and fleeing to Trinidad, he was hung for murder detailed knowledge of this remarkable man and shed some light on why the Government have banned the release of national archives on his life until 2030
Black History Movie Breakdowns
We have a number of xxx We cover:
X Men
Superman
Captain America: The Winter Soldier
Lucy
Blade
Planet of the Apes
Chronicle
I just would like to say thank you so much for such an awesome talk last Monday! People are still talking about it, sharing the knowledge that was shared with us and walking round with an enhanced pride in their culture and history! It was such an insighful evening, where we learnt so much, so I would just like to say thanks again, and we would love to have you back so you will be hearing from us ! Stella, Student Officer Kent University
Community Cohesion
Specially designed for schools/teachers that require guidance on how to conform to the Cohesion agenda, understand their legal obligations, handle racist incidents and engage with the community.
Black History Walks London homepage www.blackhistorywalks.co.uk
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Other options are the the 45 minute “buffet” presentations, suitable for all levels, they offer a taste of heroes, scientists, inventors, pioneers, little known facts and positive images in an interactive and fun manner
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