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Staff members at UK Youth were given a unique insight into the origins of Black History Month in the UK, thanks to a talk from its founder, Akyaaba Addai-Sebo. Akyaaba is the uncle of UK Youth project officer Christine Holdbrook, who shared some of the background behind his pivotal work.
Introducing her uncle to UK Youth, Christine said, “His work in public policy, peace mediation, and social justice spans decades, including roles as special projects coordinator at the Greater London Council and senior policy adviser for the UK Government.
“Akyaaba’s vision and commitment to highlighting Black history and its contribution to society led to the founding of the UK’s first Black History Month in 1987.
“In addition to founding Black History Month, Akyaaba’s key contributions include anti-apartheid activism. He was a director of Tribute Inspirations and helped organise two Nelson Mandela concerts at Wembley Stadium, mobilising global pressure to free Mandela, and he co-produced One Humanity, a documentary about the fight to end apartheid.
“He has also been a peace mediator in Africa, where he played a key role in peace efforts in Liberia and Sierra Leone, helping to negotiate ceasefires and end civil wars.
“His contributions go beyond activism. Akyaaba’s work has influenced national and global discussions around race, identity, and inclusivity. His efforts have paved the way for the recognition and celebration of Black culture and history worldwide.”
The essence of Black History Month is to ensure every child growing up in the UK has an appreciation of and respect for the contributions of Africa, Africans and people of African descent.
Akyaaba Addai-Sebo, founder of Black History Month in the UK
Akyaaba came to the UK as a refugee from Ghana in the early 1980s. He described how he was forced to leave his home country after opposing the policies of military ruler Jerry Rawlings, who declared him a wanted man and sent a death squad after him.
After arriving in Britain, Akyaaba found work at the Greater London Council and explained how Black History Month was inspired when a colleague told him her son, named after Jamaican activist Marcus Garvey, had asked her: “Why can’t I be white?”
Akyaaba said: “She was devastated. She said she had cried all night, feeling she had failed her son.
“I told her, ‘No, you have not failed your son. Rather, it is the institutions of state – the Department of Education, the Inner London Education Authority, the local authorities, the schools, the churches, the museums, the libraries. All these institutions have failed your son, and not only him but every child growing up in this United Kingdom’.
“I was worried and spent weeks thinking that something had to be done. I started listening to children coming out of Tube stations, on buses. It became clear to me that there was an identity issue.
American experience
“I had experience in the US, where I was during the 200th anniversary of American independence in 1976. I was part of the campaign that led to President Gerald Ford declaring ‘Negro History Week’, as a gesture of respect for the struggles of Africans in the US.
“As part of the Bicentennial, I used to lecture and hold demonstrations at the Museum of African Art, talking to schoolchildren about African cultural values and lifestyles.
“Because of my experience, I felt that something could be done here. I was strategically positioned at the Greater London Council, where we had enlightened leadership that supported the proposals I put forward.
“The year 1987 was significant to us as African people. It marked the 150th anniversary of emancipation, the 100th anniversary of the birth of Marcus Garvey, the 25th anniversary of the founding of the Organisation of African Unity, and the 30th anniversary of Ghana’s independence. We put all this together and decided to celebrate 1987–88 as African Jubilee Year.
“I prepared a declaration, which was adopted by the boroughs in London. The declaration was sent across the country and endorsed by other areas. At the tail end of the declaration, it said that all the boroughs would declare October – and every October thereafter – as Black History Month.
“It has since grown into a significant period of events. The essence of Black History Month is to ensure that every child growing up in the UK has an appreciation of and respect for the contributions of Africa, Africans and people of African descent to world civilisations and particularly to the growth and development of the UK and Europe, from antiquity to the present.”
‘A beautiful time’
Akyaaba explained his choice of October for Black History Month, not least because it is warmer than February in the US. He said: “The autumn equinox is significant for Africans, because it’s during this time that we celebrate harvest festivals, such as yam and corn festivals.
“All the chiefs also gather at the capital to examine the state of the nation, reflect on their lives, and resolve differences.
“Moreover, October is not as cold as February in the US, and children have just returned from their long holiday with a sense of camaraderie. This makes their minds more open to learning.
“Autumn itself is a beautiful time; just travel through the countryside and see the spectacular changing colours of the leaves. That’s what it is – a celebration of diversity.
“During Black History Month, we pay tribute to our common humanity and celebrate the richness of it all.”
Akyaaba noted how the UK’s refusal to discuss slavery reparations at the Commonwealth summit has influenced Black History Month’s narrative.
He said, “The narrative expressed by institutions like Buckingham Palace and Whitehall reflects an unwillingness to apologise for slavery. This is why we say our story, from antiquity to the present and our contributions to world civilisations, must be included in the narrative.
“Our story helps to change the narrative. Colonialism was a systematic act of dehumanisation. For it to succeed, it had to dehumanise indigenous populations—their culture, language, science, agriculture—rendering it meaningless.
“Decolonisation, then, is an act of humanisation. Black History Month is a period for reflection, for taking stock of the state of Black Britain. That’s what Black History Month is all about.”
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About UK Youth
UK Youth is a leading charity with a vision that all young people are equipped to thrive and empowered to contribute at every stage of their lives. With an open network of more than 9,000 youth organisations and nation partners; UK Youth reaches more than four million young people across the UK and is focused on unlocking youth work as the catalyst of change that is needed now more than ever. To find out more, visit ukyouth.org
UK Youth is involved in a range of programmes designed to help young people thrive, such as outdoor learning, physical literacy, social action and employability. For more on UK Youth’s programmes, see ukyouth.org/what-we-do/programmes
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