Monday saw the start of Black History Month and this year’s national theme, ‘Saluting our sisters’, which aims to shine a spotlight on the achievements and contributions of Black women throughout history.
Each day in Tutor Group time, our Prep boys will focus on a different theme or event, which this week included exploring the artwork work of Alma Thomas, discovering Black Roman Britain, looking at the geography of Africa, hearing about the Anansi Stories of the Akan Asante Tribe, and looking at the history of the Windrush generation and subsequent scandal, through activities, quizzes and films.
Each Monday during Black History Month is dedicated to exploring the extraordinary art of Black female artists. The boys then have the opportunity to create artwork inspired by them in Art Club at lunchtime. Week one’s focus was the artist Alma W Thomas*, and the boys spent an enjoyable lunch break creating their own designs, drawing inspiration from Alma’s fantastic art, identifiable for its exuberant colours and abstract shapes and patterns.
Our Global Citizens Group, led by Y8 students, is also holding weekly spotlight discussions for boys in Y5-Y8 during Black History Month. In their first meeting on Tuesday, the boys shared some tasty food from Africa and the Caribbean before watching a film entitled ‘Taking up Space as a Black Girl’ featuring author and journalist Ore Ogunbiyi. In the brilliant discussion afterwards, the boy-led group discussed what is meant by ‘taking up space’ and why it might be difficult to go into a space where people don’t look like you, why it is important for everyone to feel that they have a safe space and how they can create safe spaces at school to enable everyone to be their ‘full self’. The boys approached the discussions with great maturity, thoughtfulness and openness, with many sharing personal experiences.
As in previous years, we hope that Black History Month will spark many conversations and encourage boys to explore, share, celebrate and understand the impact of Black heritage and culture, diversity and inclusivity.
*About Alma W Thomas
Alma W Thomas is an important historical role model as an African-American woman. She started her career as an artist later in life after retiring from teaching. She was the first Black woman to have a show at the Whitney Museum of American Art in 1972. She was also the first Black woman to have work acquired by the White House in 2015.
Alma’s family moved from Georgia to Washington, D.C., when she was a child to seek relief from the racial violence in the South and then make the most of the opportunities available, despite segregation, in the nation’s capital. After retiring from a career of teaching art for 35 years, Alma developed her own painting, which is revered today.
