London Socialist Historians Group
26th November
Contact Dr Keith Flett 07803 167266
Socialist Historians back Labour on teaching of colonialism & the role of Empire in schools
The London Socialist Historians Group which organises the socialist history seminar at the Institute of Historical Research at the University of London, Senate House (currently suspended due to the IWGB boycott) has said it is fully behind the aim of the Labour Party to ensure that colonialism and Empire and their impact are part of the school curriculum.
Labour launched its Race and Faith Manifesto at the Bernie Grant Centre in Tottenham on 26th November (link below).
Part of the Manifesto states:
The creation of an Emancipation Educational Trust to ensure historical injustice, colonialism and role of the British empire is taught in the National Curriculum;
The historians say that while it is the case that Empire and colonialism may feature in some school history lessons today it is not done systematically or as part of the examined curriculum.
Britain’s imperial heritage from the slave trade, to its control of countries across the globe from the late nineteenth century, to the modern day descendants of those impacted on this who play such an essential role in Britain today is something that every school student needs to know about
LSHG Convenor Dr Keith Flett said, we’re just coming up to the 170th anniversary of the landing of William Cuffay in Tasmania in late November 1849. Cuffay the black leader of London Chartism in 1848 fought for democracy and the vote. For his pains he was arrested and transported to Australia, where he continued fighting for democracy. Cuffay is not a figure who will be familiar to most school students but he should be. Hopefully Labour’s plans will help to put that right.
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