‘Our Time Has Come’

…encourages KS3-4 students of all backgrounds to reach an informed understanding of (and respect for) their own and each other’s identities by reflecting positively on their heritage, cultures and potential as active citizens.

"Good resource, but a lack of British black people on it … It is important for young black people growing up in the UK to be aware of role models in the UK.“http://www.tes.co.uk/teaching-resource/Famous-Black-People-6024777/ accessed 21/11/2012

“Schools are usually thoughtful enough to ensure that there is a focus on more positive proactive Black experiences after the Slave Trade was abolished by the British in 1807, yet this usually focuses on the United States of America.”Robin Whitburn and Sharon Yemoh, ‘“My people struggled too”: hidden histories and heroism’, Teaching History, Issue 147, June 2012, pp.16-25, on p.18

Notes for Teachers 1

Notes for Teachers 2

‘Our Time Has Come’ is a set of resources uploaded to the Guardian Teacher Network website. The resources

provide the content, sources and information to support the delivery of a local and relevant approach to post-

war black history in the British classroom. They use the achievements of Bernie Grant (1944–2000) as an

opportunity to develop pupils’ knowledge and understanding of significant individuals. Bernie Grant was one of

four Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME) MPs elected to Parliament in 1987; the others were Diane Abbott, Paul

Boateng and Keith Vaz. All four represented the Labour Party. The collective resource title ‘Our Time Has

Come’ is the headline of a front-page article in the Caribbean Times celebrating this historic moment in the

history of BAME representation in Britain. Prior to the 1980s, the last time a BAME MP had been elected to

Parliament was in 1922 (see Our Time Has Come (2) for more information).

‘Our Time Has Come’ consists of five resources uploaded separately but sharing a common title and theme.

Taught as a set ‘Our Time Has Come’ is expected to take 2-3 hours of class time. However, the resources are

intended to be flexibly used. Teachers are encouraged to pick and choose from the presentations, activities

and historical sources provided to suit their teaching and learning needs. They might, for example:

– teach the set as a self-standing study as part of Black History Month (Oct) or Parliament Week (Nov)

– ‘nest’ aspects of the set within other areas of study

– use the resources as a springboard into the study of how individuals affect history

Notes for Teachers 3

‘Our Time Has Come’ assumes from the teacher basic prior knowledge of:

– 20th century UK Parliamentary processes

– the role of a British MP

Use of Materials in ‘Our Time Has Come’

Unless otherwise stated, the documents and images included in this set

of resources are from the Bernie Grant Archive. They have been cleared

for reproduction for learning purposes with the permission of the Bernie

Grant Archive, owned by the Bernie Grant Trust and housed in the

Bishopsgate Institute Archive.

http://www.bishopsgate.org.uk/Library/Library-and-Archive-Collections/Labour-and-Socialist-History/Grant-Bernie

Notes for Teachers 4

Useful Web-links

http://www.berniegrantarchive.org.uk/

http://www.pinterest.com/bishopsgateinst/bernie-grant-and-nelson-mandela/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1517672.stm

http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/cabinetpapers/themes/race-relations.htm#Race%20Relations%20Act%201976

http://www.blackpresence.co.uk/

http://www.open.ac.uk/researchprojects/makingbritain/content/shapurji-saklatvala

http://www.100greatblackbritons.com/bios/bernie_grant.html

http://www.the-latest.com/black-power-at-the-uk-parliament

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FLVIXAkmFCs (Bernie Grant at the Labour Party Conference 1984)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d4a74NC6aQA (Bernie Grant speaking in the House of Commons 1999)

 

Notes for Teachers 5

Our Time Has Come (4)

c/o Bernie Grant MPThis resource shares a range of sources from the Bernie Grant archive for use in the classroom. The sources might provide more

information on the political career and interests of Bernie Grant MP or act as a way in to wider post-war topics such as empire,

race and British civil rights. Many of the documents relating to local issues give the contact address as ‘c/o’ or care of Bernie

Grant. This reflects Grant’s key role in setting up and running initiatives aimed at improving the lives of ‘ordinary’ Londoners –

particularly those from minority ethnic backgrounds – throughout the 1980s and 1990s. At the same time, the sources reveal his

interest in international affairs. His support for the civil rights movement in the US, in particular, connected him to a global network

of high profile activists and campaigners, including Jesse Jackson and Nelson Mandela. Grant’s ability simultaneously to

campaign for local interests, national politics and international movements mark him out as practically unique among post-war

politicians.

Grant took a keen personal and political interest in global issues affecting minority ethnic peoples. His role as chairman of the Parliamentary Black Caucus connected him to the world’s most prominent and celebrated civil rights’ activists during the 1980s and 1990s

Source One: extract from The Black Parliamentarian (above, see also Slide 13)

Source Two: youtube clip featuring Bernie Grant performing the above rap in 1989 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T0JARInwz8

See Slide 15 to understand Grant’s pivotal role in the BTUSM

This glossary is taken from the NUPE Report of the Race Equality Working Party published c.1986. Grant was Area Officer for NUPE in the 1980s.

Bernie Grant established the Rainbow Coalition as part of what he conceived as a British Civil Rights movement.

With US Civil Rights activist Jesse Jackson. No date and photographer unknown.

Bernie Grant and Jesse Jackson (centre) unknown paper 14 July 1994

With Mrs Martin Luther King, Washington 1988, photographer unknown