Publications
A selection of podcasts, films, articles and news pages about Africa and the African Diaspora.
Articles
‘Give Africa its art back’ Macron’s report says by Vincent Noce
18 April 2020An account detailing a report which urges the French president to return Africa museum pieces.
100 African cities destroyed by Europeans: Why there are no historical monuments in Africa by Afrikhepri Foundation
18 April 2020An article that revisits the old African empires giving an insight of how these presented to their oppressors and the subsequent destruction as a means of suppressing their development by total annihilation.
14 African musical styles for you to explore by Chartwell Dutiro
18 April 2020A sample of 14 popular and lesser known musical styles from Africa’s diverse musical genre.
African Influences in Modern Art – The Met Museum
18 April 2020A Met Museum article showing examples of where African Influences can be seen in Modern Art.
Afrocentrism: Balancing or Skewing History? by Michel Marriott
18 April 2020A discussion about broadening the curriculum in New York Times Archives.
Anti-racism charter – National Education Union
5 August 2020A framework from the National Education Union for developing an anti-racist approach within education to enables the exploration of ideas around race equality and the planning of how to tackle racism with children, young people and staff.
Black British Theatre: 1950–1979 by Natasha Bonnelame
18 April 2020An outline about several of the most important black playwrights of the period describing the contexts in which their plays were staged.
Black History timeline – Guardian
5 August 2020The timelines uses momentous events to celebrate the contributions of Africans and their descendants whose stories need to be told as part of the common narrative of British and world history.
Black People were Systematically Erased from Argentina’s History by Takudzwa Hillary Chiwanza
18 April 2020An article about the lesser known history of how Africans were removed from the Argentinean population between 16th and 19th Century.
Black Prisoners of War at Portchester Castle – English Heritage
18 April 2020This article tells the story of over 2000 Black prisoners of war captured by the British from the French Republicans in the Caribbean. They arrived in 1796 at Portchester Castle and were imprisoned there. Also includes a useful audio account.
Blackout: How Argentina ‘Eliminated’ Africans From Its History And Conscience by Palash Ghosh
18 April 2020An article that explores why the black presence in Argentina has virtually vanished from the country’s records and consciousness.
Bringing key moments in African American history to life – 16 writers
18 April 2020A collection of poems and stories in The New York Times magazine as part of the 1619 Project examining the legacy of slavery in America.
Caribbean excavation offers intimate look at the lives of enslaved Africans by Lizzie Wade
18 April 2020An archaeological dig at Estate Little Princess on St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands sheds light on how enslaved people lived on this and many other estates.
Christopher Alder (1960-1998) by Thomas Burrows
3 June 2020Christopher Alder was killed in police custody in Hull in 1998. This article includes the circumstances surrounding his death, the media report at the time and a recorded interview with his sister Janet Alder in 2017.
Dear brown people: I’m about to wash some dirty linen in public… by Shree Paradkar
2 July 2020A reflective comment on racism within brown communities that contributes towards white supremacy. A suggestion that brown aspiration to be aligned to whiteness results in complicity in a lack of diversity and avoidance of true multicultural progression.
Do we need to decolonise history? And if so, how? – History Extra
18 April 2020Discussion instigated by a comment by Meghan Markle about lack of Black professors and curriculum content.
Exclusive: BME nurses ‘feel targeted’ to work on COVID-19 wards by Megan Ford
1 May 2020This explores the inequalities faced by nurses from the Black and minority ethnic backgrounds who are treated with lesser value despite their personal sacrifices.
Follow the Money! Acknowledging Colonialism in Leeds Industry – Leeds Museum
5 August 2020This article demonstrates an example of how a museum can take an honest look at its collection with a critical eye to acknowledge colonial connections within their histories.
Glasgow University’s ‘bold’ move to pay back slave trade profits by Hannah Capella
18 April 2020The university aims to spend £20m to develop the Glasgow-Caribbean Centre for Development Research.
Global Warming: Severe Consequences for Africa
18 April 2020The impact of greenhouse gas emissions on the development prospects in Africa.
Hanifa’s 3D Digital Fashion Show Just Changed the Game by Asia Milia Ware
3 June 2020In May 2020 Congolese designer Anifa Mvuemba under the brand Hanifa showed her latest collection using 3D models on Instagram Live. This was a digital show that came into its own because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
How Black women were whitewashed by art by Sophia Smith Galer
18 April 2020The erasure of Black women from Western art.
How Britain dishonoured its African first world war dead by David Lammy MP
18 April 2020The story of how 100s and 1000s of African war dead who served in WW1 have been written out of history.
How colonial violence came home: the ugly truth of the first world war by Pankaj Mishra
2 July 2020This highlights that contributions of millions of colonial soldiers and labourers who fought with British and French forces in Europe remains largely unacknowledged and uncommemorated. Not examining the racist imperial past impacts on the experiences of Black people today.
How to support black publishers and bookshops by Penguin Books
5 August 2020In the wake of George Floyd’s killing, this Penguin article provides a signpost to those who want direction to books which encourages an understanding of black people’s lives. It includes information about Black publishers and initiatives.
Humanae by Angelica Dass
2 July 2020A photo project in response to the continued power of skin colour on how humanity is perceived. Dass uses the skin’s equivalent Pantone colours to reframe and celebrate skin colour in its rich hues encouraging a move away from the artificial tags for race. Includes a film.
Last American slave ship is discovered in Alabama by Joel Bourne
1 May 2020In 1860 the slave ship, Clotilda, was still smuggling enslaved Africans into the US. This account includes a film about its history, its discovery and the impact on descendants.
Last survivor of transatlantic slave trade discovered – Sean Coughlan
1 May 2020An insight into the life of Matilda McCrear who is believed to the last surviving enslaved African who lived until 1940 in Selma, Alabama.
Letter to My Son by Ta-Nehisi Coates
2 July 2020“Here is what I would like for you to know: In America, it is traditional to destroy the black body—it is heritage.”
A society built on violence and oppression of Black people that is unwillingness to change.
Lying about our history? Now that’s something Britain excels at by Ian Cobain
2 July 2020This article suggests that the removal of statues cannot be compared to the dishonesty of destroying documents from the colonial era to hide the British atrocities in Uganda, Kenya, Cyprus, India, Malaya and South Africa.
Meet the psychologist exploring unconscious bias and its tragic consequences for society by Douglas Starr
1 May 2020The findings of Eberhardt’s into the roots and ramifications of unconscious bias and how social conditions can interact to determine our responses to other people.
New York destroyed a village full of African-American landowners to create Central Park by John Smith
18 April 2020Seneca established in 1825 through land purchased by 100s of freed African American slaves as a village of sanctuary in New York. 30 years later the affluent Black community were forced out to allow the wealthy white people to build a park.
Pentagon Just Admitted to Using Black Soldiers as Human Guinea Pigs in WWII by David Love
18 April 2020A disturbing account about how the American government wilfully used Black soldiers as human guinea pigs for chemical experimentation.
Please, don’t call me BAME or BME! by Zamila Bunglawala
5 August 2020An article that explores the use of the acronym BAME/ BME which is
widely used by government departments, public bodies, the media and others when referring to ethnic minority groups but is vaguely understood by a few and disliked by many.
Popular traditional Caribbean dances with African roots by Francis Akhalbey
18 April 2020This article showcases some Caribbean dances which have origins in Africa but have been blended with elements from other cultures.
Race Disparity Audit by UK Government Cabinet Office
5 August 2020This report analysis the differences between ethnic groups and considers the ways in which effective strategies can be employed to reduce the disparities.
Racial cleansing in Brazil; a 21st Century genocide? by Manuella Libardi
18 April 2020An account of the indiscriminate killing of blacks and the poor as a historical and institutionalised event in Brazil.
Rediscovering black portraiture through the Getty museum challenge by Peter Brathwaite
5 August 2020The Getty Museum Challenge during lockdown was to recreate a famous work of art using props from around your home. Opera singer and broadcaster Peter Braithwaite used the opportunity to draw attention to examples of Black presence in portraiture as they are not frequently seen in works of art.
Should museums return their colonial artefacts? by Tristram Hunt
18 April 2020Current director of the V&A explaining his viewpoint that plundered artwork shouldn’t automatically be returned to the country of origin.
Slavery: new digital tools show how important slave trade was to Liverpool’s development by Nicholas Radburn and David Eltis
18 April 2020This article explains the use of two digital tools to depict the enormous scale of the slave trade and its impact on the enslaved Africans.
The ‘Father of Modern Gynecology’ Performed Shocking Experiments on Slaves by Brynn Holland
3 June 2020An article about American, James Marion Sims whose research on enslaved women without anaesthetic was founded on racism. His attribution as a pioneer of gynaecological and reproduction does not acknowledgment his brutal methods or lack of ethics.
The big question: should museums return their treasures? – History Extra
18 April 2020Four experts discuss the ethical and historical aspects of returning the treasures.
The coronavirus crisis has exposed China’s long history of racism by Hsiao-Hung Pai
1 May 2020Africans in Guangzhou, China are being demonised over COVID-19 but the roots of prejudice go back centuries. Their current lived experience in being refused access to hospitals, hotels, supermarkets, shops and food outlets is outlined.
The Costs of Code Switching by Courtney L. McCluney, Kathrina Robotham, Serenity Lee, Richard Smith, Myles Durkee
18 April 2020An insight into the reality of code switching and how that can impact on the well-being of Black people.
The Death of the Black Utopia by Brent Staples
18 April 2020An exhibition on Seneca Village, which was destroyed to build Central Park, pays homage to a forgotten chapter in New York City history. Also a link to a film by Khan Academy
The disturbing return of scientific racism by Angela Saini
18 April 2020Wired magazine article on the rise of race science that’s being enabled by technology and genetics research.
The Effect of Occupation on Poverty Among Ethnic Minority Groups by Malcolm Brynin and Simonetta Longhi
18 April 2020This Joseph Rowntree Foundation report looks into why ethnic minority groups are more likely to work for less than the living wage. It looks at the wage gaps associated with particular occupations.
The Great Land Robbery by Vann R. Newkirk II
18 April 2020The story of how 1 million Black families were dispossessed of their land.
The Impact of Colonialism on African Development by Joshua Dwayne Settles
18 April 2020A free and open access publication by the University of Tennessee Honors Program at Trace: Tennessee Research and Creative Exchange.
The Involvement of Black and Minority Ethnic Staff in NHS Disciplinary Proceedings by Uduak Archibong and Aliya Darr
18 April 2020A report to assess whether black and minority ethnic staff were overrepresented in disciplinary procedures.
The Link Between Voluntourism, Orphanage Tourism and Child Sexual Exploitation by ECPAT
18 April 2020The recognition of the harmful trend of voluntourism and orphanage tourism. Includes an article on best practice with expert advice to promote responsible volunteering alternatives in orphanages and residential care centres.
The Origins of Prison Slavery by Shane Bauer
18 April 2020How Southern whites found replacements for their emancipated slaves in the prison system.
The statue was toppled. Can we finally talk about the British Empire? by Gurminder K Bhambra
2 July 2020This article explores how toppling statues has become a way of making Britain acknowledge the truth about Empire and the multiple injustices represented by statues.
The Struggles of War Babies Fathered by Black GIs by Fiona Clampin
18 April 2020A discussion about the experiences of ‘Brown Babies’ following the Second World War: related audio – Woman’s Hour (14.49 to 25.04)
The True Size of Africa by Kai Krause
18 April 2020A demonstration of how the true size of Africa can encompass USA, China, India, Japan and Europe combined.
Want to make the UK less racist? 20 positive ways to bring about lasting change by Kehinde Andrews
2 July 2020The killing of George Floyd led to worldwide protests expressing outrage at police brutality and racial inequalities. This has prompted a discourse on actions and practical steps to combat racism.
Young British & Black – Guardian
5 August 2020The death of George Floyd in the US sparked the UK’s biggest anti-racism protests in centuries. The voices of 50 young Britons at the heart of these rallies are heard in this article.
Films
A radical vision of a new Africa – Kehinde Andrews
18 April 2020An outline of a future newtopia – a world where Africa is the ‘promised land’.
Africa: States of independence – the scramble for Africa – Al Jazeera English
18 April 2020Seventeen African nations gained their independence in 1960, but a new, covert scramble for resources was born.
African Origins with Dr. Yosef Ben-Jochannan & George Simmonds
18 April 2020A 1987 TV show in which the two author/historians discuss some untold truths about how religion and western culture links to ancient African civilisations.
Afro Germany; being black and German – Jana Pareigis
18 April 2020Black and German: news anchor Jana Pareigis has spent her entire life being asked about her skin color and afro hair. What is it like to be Black in Germany?
Alt History
18 April 2020Alt History is a series of short films exploring critical moments in Black history that we’re not taught in schools.
Ama Ata Aidoo – WketDZ
3 May 2020A 1987 film focusing on the Ghanaian author, poet and education minister Ama Ata Aidoo. A key point within this film is her speech at 30.40.
BBC World News interview with Obianuju Ekeocha – Contraception in Africa
2 July 2020A forthright debate on whether the significant aid allocated by western governments to Africa for contraception is welcomed by Africans themselves given their other priorities for survival.
Being a Man 2014/Being a Black Man: Akala, Shane Ryan, Ekow Eshun and Topher Campbell
18 April 2020A look at the contradictory and complex ideas around Black masculinity and what tensions arise from stereotypes, colonial histories and economic power.
Black British History – BBC
18 April 2020A range of programmes covering many aspects of history and contemporary issues including war, Windrush, health, arts and more.
Black to Life: Forgotten Black British histories – BBC
5 August 2020This film directed by Akinola Davies emphasises Black presence throughout British history by bringing their hidden stories to the fore.
Black women ‘five times more likely to die in childbirth’ – BBC News
18 April 2020The causes of maternal deaths, stillbirths and infant deaths in Black women which is increasing year on year.
Chinua Achebe’s ‘Things Fall Apart’ – Lucian Msamati
18 April 2020A reading by on Lucian Msamati on April 12 2018.
Going Home – Ghana
18 April 2020This documentary focuses on films, community outreach, healthcare and education in Ghanaian’s everyday life in Accra, Takoradi and Akwidda.
History of Africa with Zeinab Badawi, BBC World News
3 June 2020An insight into great civilisations of the past and modern communities of today. 16 episodes of Africans history told by Africans.
Inside Africa’s Thriving Art Scene by Touria El Glaoui
18 April 2020A presentation on TED Global 2017 showcasing new art from African nations and the diaspora.
Jane Elliott interviewed on The Rock Newman Show
2 July 2020A candid interview with Elliott who first used the “Blue Eyes Brown Eyes” exercise for American white children to experience the racism in 1968 after the death of Dr Martin Luther King.
Lost Kingdoms of Africa; West Africa – BBC Four
18 April 2020Art historian Gus Casely-Hayford explores the history of the Lost Kingdoms of West Africa, with particular attention to the 16th-century bronzes from the kingdom of Benin.
Nelson Mandela’s ‘I Am Prepared To Die’ – Lucian Msamati
18 April 2020A reading by Lucian Msamati, first given on 20 April 1964 from the dock of the defendant at the Rivonia Trial.
Our Jamaican Problem – Pathe film (1955)
2 July 2020Recruitment of workers from the British empire saw over 20,000 citizens arriving from the West Indies by 1955. Their presence prompted this film to allay the fears of the home population. The narrative gives a glimpse of how they were perceived.
Quick Overview of Religion in African History – Robin Walker
18 April 2020Author and Historian Robin Walker gives a breakdown of the earliest known religions in ancient Africa.
Reflections on Race – BBC Ideas
18 April 2020A series of videos which feature a range of different viewpoints, perspectives and experiences of race and racism.
Stop and search: What are your rights? – BBC News
18 April 2020A short film explaining the rights of an individual in the event of being ‘stop and searched’ by the police.
Survivor: Prostrate Cancer – Obrey Alexis
18 April 2020Prostate Cancer in Black African and Black Caribbean; a prevalence of 2 to 3 times greater than any other ethnic group in the UK.
The artist who ‘paints’ with recycled plastic – Mbongeni Buthelezi
18 April 2020Mbongeni Buthelezi combines his love for art and recycling to create a unique kind of images that he calls “plastic fantastic”.
The Atlantic slave trade: What too few textbooks told you – Anthony Hazard
2 July 2020The Atlantic slave trade which forcibly brought more than 10 million Africans to the Americas stands out for both its global scale and its lasting legacy. This short film shows the historical, economic and personal impact of this massive historical injustice.
The Legacy Of Colonization by Dr. Arikana Chihombori-Quao
18 April 2020The Africa Union Ambassador speaks about how the African countries were divided and economic impact of western governmental policies.
The million-dollar trade in trafficked rosewood trees – BBC News
18 April 2020This is a short film that relays how the illicit smuggling of rosewood trees out of Senegal to Gambia is fuelled by the Chinese demand as it runs out of stocks from elsewhere.
The Unwanted: The Secret Windrush Files – BBC/Uplands
18 April 2020A documentary that outlines how the Windrush generation came to be in Britain and the ‘hostile environment’ policy 70 years later that has had catastrophic impact on their families.
The World: A Television History – #15 Africa Before The Europeans
18 April 2020This looks at the powerful empires, wealthy city states and civilised rural societies of Africa.
Tomatoes and greed – the exodus of Ghana’s farmers – DW Documentary
18 April 2020How foreign subsidised tomatoes has destroyed Ghanaian markets and livelihood leading to mass migration and labour exploitation.
We didn’t want to watch – by Mark T Thompson
5 August 2020This poem about the killing of George Floyd is one of many examples from the Cultural Chameleon Press (Mark T Thompson) who uses powerful grassroots poetry as a social commentary of world events.
West Africa’s New Currency: The End of France’s dominance in AFRICA? by New Africa
18 April 2020A question on whether the introduction of one currency (Eco) for all of West Africa will spell the end of France’s dominance in French-speaking Africa.
White Fragility by Dr. Robin DiAngelo
18 April 2020Reading from her book “White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism”, Dr DiAngelo explains how white people can develop their capacity to engage more constructively on race.
News pages
Africa is a Country
18 April 2020Africa is a Country offers regular an online commentary, original writing, media criticism, videos, audio and photography.
Africa Times
18 April 2020Africa Times is an independent participative online news site for Sub-Saharan Africa, publishing content by a range of people, from academics to bloggers.
Afropunk
18 April 2020Afropunk is a multimedia platform which offers a forum for artists to contribute to the content. It covers arts, media, culture, health, music, film, fashion, activism and more.
Black Europe Resources
18 April 2020Blog focusing on Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic issues. Also informs on various events and publications.
Black Youth Project
18 April 2020Black Youth Project examines the attitudes, resources, and culture of the young, urban black millennial and how this influence their decision-making and behaviour.
Runnymede Trust
18 April 2020Runnymede is the UK’s leading independent race equality think tank working through research, network building, debate and policy engagement.
Super.Selected
18 April 2020An online magazine based in New York, created by a fashion stylist with a fine art slant and a particular interest in diversity.
The African Exponent
18 April 2020This is a pan-African news platform dedicated to providing news and analysis about contemporary and historical issues in politics, economics, entrepreneurship and culture relevant to Africa.
The Crisis
18 April 2020The official publication of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP); a civil rights organisation.
The Root
18 April 2020A digital magazine that provides thought-provoking commentary and news from a variety of black perspectives.
The Undefeated
18 April 2020This is a platform for exploring the intersections of race, sports and culture. We enlighten and entertain with innovative storytelling, original reporting and provocative commentary.
The Voice
18 April 2020A London based British national weekly newspaper aimed at the British African-Caribbean community.
Yes magazine
18 April 2020Yes magazine aims to report on the root causes of issues by uncovering environmental, political, economic and social justice factors.
Podcasts
African History Collection – Witness History
18 April 2020BBC African History collection through eye history accounts.
African Online Digital Library
18 April 2020Africa Past and Present is a podcast about history, culture, and politics in Africa and the diaspora. It is hosted by Michigan State University’s Peter Alegi and Peter Limb.
Black and British podcasts
18 April 2020A selected list by the website of Black British podcasts as they increase in number.
Black Girls Don’t Cry – Marverine Cole
18 April 2020A programme exploring the prevalence of anxiety and depression in Black women.
Black Music in Europe – Clarke Peters
18 April 2020These three series uncover the stories of Black musicians in Europe through the ages.
Fifty shades of white: the long fight against racism in romance novels – Lois Beckett
18 April 2020For decades, the world of romantic fiction has been divided by a heated debate about racism and diversity.
Finding the image – Nii Obodai
18 April 2020Acclaimed Ghanaian photographer Nii Obodai prepares for his new exhibition, Of Natural Magic which displays images captured using a large old-fashioned Deardorff camera to print black and white prints.
Have You Heard George’s Podcast?
18 April 2020George the Poet uses a mix of storytelling, music and fiction to comment on inner city life. Grenfell and The Journey are outstanding.
I Can’t be Racist – Keon West
18 April 2020Psychologist Dr Keon West explores racial bias and the trend in anti-bias/unconscious bias training.
I have a Dream podcasts: various (civil rights, entertainment, music etc)
18 April 2020A collection of programmes and content marking Black History Month.
Maternal mortality – Jenni Murray
18 April 2020Explores the disproportionate rise of maternal mortality rates in Black women.
Radicals in Conversation – Grenfell
18 April 2020A discussion on the structural inequality and lack of response that escalates the impact of the Grenfell fire – discussion by four editors of the book After Grenfell (2019)
The Black Blood Donor Crisis – Lindsay Johns
18 April 2020An important discussion on why so few Black Britons give blood.
The Black Footballer’s Dilemma – Clark Carlisle
18 April 2020A look at the challenges Black players have faced against racist abuse on the terraces and in the dressing room.
The British Black Panthers – Kehinde Andrews
18 April 2020The untold story of the British Black Panthers founded in London’s Notting Hill in 1968.
When will Britain face up to its crimes against humanity? – Kris Manjapra
18 April 2020After the abolition of slavery, Britain paid millions in compensation – but every penny of it went to slave owners, and nothing to those they enslaved. We must stop overlooking the brutality of British history.
Why do some white people feel uncomfortable around Black men – Derek Owusu
18 April 2020A discussion of how everyday racist actions have a negative impact on the mental well-being of Black men.
Witness Black History – BBC News World Service
3 June 2020Short interviews with people who were there at key moments in black and civil rights history.
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