BLACK HISTORY MONTH 1 – 31 October

“A people’s art is the genesis of their freedom”

VIGOROUS + 1 COURAGEOUS CLAUDIA JONES JOURNALIST + ACTIVISTNEU.ORG.UK BLACK Lesson ideas HISTORY MONTH VIGOROUS + COURAGEOUS 1 – 31 October MIGRATION The National Education Union is asking CARNIVAL teachers to help create a more positive The Notting Hill Carnival takes place approach to migration. Belonging is over the August Bank Holiday and JOURNALIST + ACTIVIST critical for children and young people showcases the best of Caribbean to be at their best and for teachers to culture. Colourful, vibrant and 1 be able to teach with confidence and bursting with life, it features food, CLAUDIA JONES excellence. music, dance and fantastic costumes. Get your class into the carnival spirit Our Migration Story has lesson plans, by designing a headdress – ideas on Born in Trinidad in 1915, Claudia was targeted in the anti- schemes of work and resources which structure, materials and shape can be Claudia Jones spent her Communist witch-hunts of the 1950s. are free to use and modify. Visit found at mynottinghillcarnival.com/ life fighting for tolerance She was arrested, declared un-American www.ourmigrationstory.org.uk/ make-your-own-feather-headdress and equality, which led and deported to Britain. information-for-teachers/teaching- her to become a founder resources.html of the much-loved She arrived alongside the Windrush Notting Hill Carnival. generation, migrants from the Caribbean who settled in the UK after the Second World War.

She migrated to New York Met by “No blacks, no dogs, no Irish” as a child, settling in the posters, Claudia made it her mission to district of Harlem. There she stand up for the Caribbean community. COURAGE discovered politics and joined the National Association for Why was Claudia Jones the Advancement of Colored courageous? Can pupils come Tension rose when People (NAACP) and later the up with other people they think racist gangs began American Communist Party. JOURNALISM are brave? Ask your students attacking London’s Claudia Jones founded the West to take a minute to think about black community and Indian Gazette, Britain’s first the bravest person they know rioting filled the streets major black newspaper, which and get them to tell their of Notting Hill in the became a mouthpiece for London’s classmates the story. summer of 1958, lasting 100,000-strong Caribbean for five nights over the Claudia set about tackling this community. Imagine the class is racial hatred through culture – Bank Holiday weekend. Claudia Jones died in setting up a community newspaper. and dance in particular. 1965. At her funeral, What would go in it? How would the African-American A carnival of the best of African pupils tell people’s stories? Ask actor and singer Paul Caribbean talent took place in your pupils to write an article about Robeson described 1959 at St Pancras Town Hall in brave and groundbreaking people her as a “vigorous and London. The event ran for six or about what it takes to stand up courageous leader” who years and grew in popularity, and stand out. had led the struggle for moving to the scene of the racial justice in London’s riots, Notting Hill, in 1966. black community. For more information about any of NEU.ORG.UK these figures or Black History Month, visit neu.org.uk/black-history-month NEU1506/0819