See below for opportunities to come together in person to mark Black History Month 2023:
Film Screening (The Woman King) - 12th October
Join us for an exciting film screening of The Woman King, with an insightful recorded introduction from the School of History's Dr. Reuben Loffman.
Date: Thursday, October 12, 2023
Time: 18:00 (BST)
Location : State-of-the-art BLOC cinema in Arts.One
About the Film:
The Woman King is a captivating historical drama set in the 18th century, telling the extraordinary story of the Agojie, an all-female unit of warriors who protected the African Kingdom of Dahomey. Directed by talented filmmaker Gina Prince-Bythewood, this movie promises to take you on an emotional and inspiring journey.
Introduction from Dr. Reuben Loffman:
Dr. Reuben Loffman, a distinguished expert in African history, is providing a fascinating recorded introductory commentary to the film. With his vast knowledge and expertise, he will shed light on the historical context and significance of the events depicted in The Woman King. Don't miss this opportunity to gain deeper insights into the film and its cultural impact.
Join Us:
Reserve your spot now using this link and get ready to be part of this memorable event and immerse yourself in the powerful storytelling of The Woman King, with an enlightening commentary to prelude. After the screening, you are invited to discuss your thoughts with one another over pizza and refreshments.
Decolonising the Mind - Theory and Practice - 13th October
Date: Friday, October 13, 2023
Time: 3-4
Location : GO Jones Lecture Theatre
What does decolonizing the university mean? Is it about representation of people of color in the faculty of the university? Is it about representation of voices that have not been heard in academia? Is it something else?
Sandew Hira, author of the 600 page book Decolonizing The Mind - a Guide to Decolonial Theory and Practice, discusses this question in his lecture at UWC. Hira explains how colonialism has created a specific form of knowledge production for the social sciences, mathematics and the hard sciences that has produced distorted views of the world of humans and nature. He analyzes the methods and mechanisms of how knowledge was produced outside the West and how colonialism has created methods and mechanisms that instituted mental slavery in science.
The European Enlightenment has produced comprehensive, coherent and integral theoretical frameworks to understand the world. Hira argues that an alternative comprehensive, coherent and integral theoretical framework is necessary and possible that challenges the European Enlightenment. He presents this framework of Decolonizing The Mind (DTM) in his latest book.
The DTM framework consists of three dimensions:
1. The critique of the Western colonization of the mind and thus Eurocentric knowledge production.
2. The development of an alternative comprehensive, coherent and integral knowledge production.
3. The translation of this new knowledge in viable policies to built a new pluriversal world civilization.
He argues that we need to move from general critique of Eurocentrism to specific critique of the various disciplines. That critique should be accompanied by the question what thw practical value of decolonial critique is for policies that have been derived from those disciplines.
His lecture took place on 13th October, 3-4pm, at Queen Mary University of London, GO Jones Lecture Theatre, 327 Mile End Road London E1 4NS.
A recording of the lecture is available here.
Wars Within Wars: Black History’s Warning to the World - 17th October
Date: Tuesday, October 17, 2023
Time: 6pm
Location : Peston Lecture Theatre
The past several years have witnessed transatlantic efforts to deny and disparage Black perspectives on our common history. This is a denial of our right to critically analyse all of our history from points of view that emerge from a history of enslavement, impoverishment, and racial violence, and that question the customary disavowal that these things constitute fundamental features of the Atlantic experience. Reframing narratives of the Age of Revolution, this lecture highlights the ways in which Black history is world history, and as such it has lessons – and warnings – for the world.
Vincent Brown is Charles Warren Professor of American History and Professor of African and African American Studies at Harvard University. He is the author of The Reaper's Garden: Death and Power in theWorld of Atlantic Slavery (2008) and Tacky's Revolt: The Story of an Atlantic Slave War (2020). He is also the producer of Herskovits at the Heart of Blackness (2009), an audiovisual documentary broadcast on the PBS series Independent Lens, and the short video series The Bigger Picture (2022) for PBS Digital Studios.
His lecture takes place on Tuesday 17th October 2023 at 6pm, at the Peston Lecture Theatre, Graduate Centre, Queen Mary University of London 327 Mile End Road London E1 4NS.
Book your ticket on Eventbrite.
Exploring Black History in Queen Mary Archives
Date: 25 October 2023
Time: From 12.30pm onwards
Location: Archives Reading Room (MEL-232), 2nd floor South Reading Room, Mile End Library
There will be a selection of records from the Queen Mary Archives in the Archives Reading Room including historical photographs, student cards and student newspapers focused on the University’s historical Black alumni.
Hosted by Vandy Widyalankara, a student at Queen Mary and staff member of the Student's Union. Vandy has recently explored the life of Orlando Marville, a Black alumnus of the University (then Q.M.C. - Queen Mary College) in the 1950s who went onto become an Ambassador for Barbados.
We are inviting you to look at the historical records yourself and discuss Black history at Queen Mary. This is an informal drop-in session, so come along for as little or long as you like and find out more about your university's heritage.
On the ground floor near the Welcome desk there will be a Black History Month book display where helpers will be able to point you in the right direction on the day.
Any questions or access concerns about this event, contact archives@qmul.ac.uk.
To find out more published https://www.qmul.ac.uk/library/library-news/news/exploring-black-history-in-queen-mary-archives.html
Kimberle Crenshaw : TED Talk & Discussion (Screening)
Date: 25th October 2023
Time: 2:00-3:00pm
Location: Robin Brook Centre Room 5
Each week, the Centre for Psychiatry and Mental Health have been celebrating the contributions of Black women in Mental Health Research and Practice. Each week, they had a spotlight on social media of a Black woman who contributed significantly to the field. To close off the celebrations, they will be screening Professor Kimberle Crenshaw’s TED talk on the impact of intersectionality, followed by a discussion.
Please contact f.biotti@qmul.ac.uk if you have any questions.
Race Equality Celebration Lunch
Thursday 26th October 2023 12:30-2pm
Colleagues are invited to join the Race Equality Staff Network and EDI Team for a lunchtime networking afternoon to celebrate Black History Month 2023.
This lunch is a great opportunity to celebrate the end of Black History Month, hear about the progress of our Race Equality portfolio and network with colleagues from across the institution. This is also a great opportunity to engage with the QMUL Race Equality Staff Network.
Location: Department W Sofa Room (Level 1)
Feel free to bring your colleagues. Please note: all attendees must register and spaces are limited.
Refreshments will be provided.
For questions/dietary requirements, please contact Afua Acheampong, EDI Manager
‘Unconventional Career Pathways for Black-heritage students’
Date: Monday 30th October
Time: 6.30pm-8.00pm
Location: Cinema in ArtsOne.
The aim of the event is to show that there are not actually ‘unconventional’ careers for Black students and that they can do anything they set their minds to. We have four Black-heritage female panelists joining us for this event, who work for a range of different organisations including The Guardian, Netball England and Faber & Faber.
Students can sign up via this link
Staff can sign up via this link