GENSOCIAL
A RETIRED primary school headteacher has sent 600 copies of the 100 Great Black Britons book to schools across the UK as part of a GoFundMe campaign.
100 Great Black Britons, by Patrick Vernon OBE and Dr Angelina Osborne celebrates the continued legacy and achievements of Black people in Britain.
Yvonne Davis, who organised the campaign, said: “I am motivated for all children to have access to a copy to create cultural esteem, develop a sense of belonging, a dialogue of questions and answers between peers.
Celebrate
“There is no more important time than now for all our children and teachers to celebrate outstanding achievements and to have these conversations.We want our children to be motivated, inspired to become policy makers and drivers of change.
“The life stories portray the racism and prejudice each one has had to face but with resilience and determination they have succeeded.”
Caribbean descent
Ms Davis is trying to raise enough cash to send the book to every school in the UK. She says: “It is a big idea. There are 8,205 secondary schools on our list – including independent schools, special schools and pupil referral units. But we’re up for the challenge. “
100 Great Black Britons is about celebrating the role of people of African and Caribbean descent in British history amidst the continuing exclusion of the Black British community from the mainstream popular conception of ‘Britishness’.
Each entry explores in depth the individual’s contribution to British history – a contribution that too often has been either overlooked or dismissed.
To view the campaign, please see https://uk.gofundme.com/f/send-100-great-black-britons-to-every-school
