Invisibility: The Art of Being Black Seminar by David Neita 20.02.12

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On Monday 20th February 2012, I attended a seminar at the University College of London’s Senate House entitled ‘Invisibility: The Art of Being Black’ which was delivered by David Neita and chaired by Marika Sherwood of the Black and Asian Studies Association.

The room that the Senate House had given David was somewhat inadequate as the number of people who attended exceeded the capacity of the room. It was clear by the way the room was laid out that the registrar underestimated the turnout to the event. However, this did not take anything away from the information that was shared on the night.

I have been on this journey a while and it was not a shock to me that the Black Presence in Western Art has been suppressed and that we are not described in the Art, even though our presence is clearly there. We have the tools readily available to us to reverse the invisibility and share this with the world.

David introduced us to two authors:

1.    Ralph Ellison who wrote the Invisible Man in 1952

2.    David Dabyden who wrote ‘Hogarth’s Blacks: Images of Blacks in Eighteenth Century English Art

‘Invisible Man’ is the story of a young, college-educated black man struggling to survive and succeed in a racially divided society that refuses to see him as a human being. Told in the form of a first-person narrative, Invisible Man traces the nameless narrator’s physical and psychological journey from blind ignorance to enlightened awareness — or, according to the author, “from Purpose to Passion to Perception” — through a series of flashbacks in the forms of dreams and memories. Set in the U.S. during the pre-Civil Rights era when segregation laws barred Black Americans from enjoying the same basic human rights as their white counterparts. The novel opens in the South (Greenwood, South Carolina), although the majority of the action takes place in the North (Harlem, New York).

Two quotes by Ralph Ellison below which summarises his feelings:

“I am an invisible man. 
No I am not a spook like those who haunted Edgar Allen Poe: 
Nor am I one of your Hollywood movie ectoplasms.
I am a man of substance, of flesh and bone, fiber and liquids
- and I might even be said to possess a mind. 
I am invisible, simply because people refuse to see me.” -  Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man

“Like the bodiless heads you see sometimes in circus sideshows, it is as though I have been surrounded by mirrors of hard, distorting glass. When they approach me they see only my surroundings, themselves, or figments of their imagination—indeed, everything and anything except me.” ― Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man

David Dabydeen’s book examined William Hogarth’s (1697-1764) representations of black people in the 18th century. William Hogarth often included Black subjects in his satirical images of 18th-century life.

David guided us through a number of images that I was not aware of existed such as:

• Marriage A-la-Mode: 4, The Toilette by William Hogarth http://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/william-hogarth-marriage-a-la-mode-4-the-toilette
  
• Olympia by Edouard Manet in 1863 http://jssgallery.org/other_artists/manet/Olympia.htm

• Henrietta of Lorraine by Van Dyck http://www.englishheritageprints.com/van_dyck_henrietta_of_lorraine_j920322/print/485957.html
  
• A Family Group in a Landscape by Francis Wheatly c1775 http://www.tate.org.uk/servlet/ViewWork?cgroupid=999999961&workid=16112

David also explained that Black boys were used in images as a sign of wealth and the term used is known as pairing. Black boys were given as a gift by Europeans to show their wealth.

David ended his seminar by posing some questions of:

1. What and who are we not noticing in life? What or who are we loosing by  ignoring them?
2. If we are in a position of invincibility, what are we doing about this?

In response to his question, I have written this blog and included links to some the images that I saw tonight. I have shared some of the quotes and made people aware via Twitter and Facebook about this event and the two authors highlighted. We can make a change and do something, no matter how small. Members of the audience spoke about getting the schools to teach Black History but I will also question why are we waiting for schools to teach our young people. We must take responsibility for their education and self development by visiting the galleries where these images are stored and also purchase the books and read them and share the information with our young people. Both books can be purchased online.

Marcus Garvey to be taught in Jamaican Schools from September 2012

A positive story to come out of Jamaica is that the teachings and opinions of the Rt Honorable Marcus Mosiah Garvey, Jamaica’s first National Hero, are to be introduced in schools for the first time at the September 2012 start of the new academic year.

Marcus Mosiah Garvey, born in St. Ann, Jamaica in 1887 led a life-long crusade against the global oppression of Black people.  Marcus Garvey was a leading Pan-Africanist and is  recognised as one of the most influential persons in history.

This is great news as Garvey can be used in all areas of the curriculum and I hope that they utilise the Marcus Mosiah Garvey Multimedia Museum in Kingston which is a hidden gem on 76 King Street.  For more information, please go to http://libertyhall-ioj.org.jm/

One of my favourite quotes from Garvey is below:

“You must never stop learning. The world’s greatest men and women were people who educated themselves outside of the university with all the knowledge that the university gives…One must never stop reading…

You can only make the best out of life by knowing and understanding it. To know, you must fall back on the intelligence of others who came before you and have left their records behind.”
- Marcus Garvey, c. 1937

“Lesson 1: Intelligence, Education, Universal Knowledge and How to Get It,” Lessons from the School of African Philosophy, in Robert Hill (Ed.) Marcus Garvey: Life and Lessons, (University of California Press, 1987) pp. 184-185.

For more information, go to http://jamaica-gleaner.com/gleaner/20120203/lead/lead91.html 

Song of Freedom Screening at the Phoenix Cinema

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Our first film screening of 2012 was held in conjunction with the Phoenix Cinema. We screened the film ‘Song of Freedom’ on Sunday 15th January 2012. An amazing 154 people attended the screening and it was good to see a mixed crowd and young people with their parents in the audience.

Song of Freedom (1936) was described by its star, American actor Paul Robeson, as the first “to give a true picture of many aspects of the life of the coloured man in the west.” Robeson shines as London-born docker John Zinga, who becomes a world famous opera singer, then discovers he is descended from a West African tribe. Having spent his life dreaming of visiting Africa, he travels to the island to meet his people, who treat him with hostility. Can he get them to trust him?

In spite of its improbable plot and stereotypical depiction of Africans which we found hilarious, Song of Freedom is a landmark film within the history of British cinema. It acknowledges the Black presence in 1930s England, and it shows that it was possible for a black man to be born in Britain. In addition, John and his wife Ruth played by Elizabeth Welch, have a normal relationship and their on screen kiss was the first time a black couple kissed on screen. Ruth is also portrayed as a loving and intelligent wife, whilst American films at this time were depicting black women as caricatured, desexualised mammies or maids.

Following the screening, we welcomed historian of Black British Film, Stephen Bourne, for a discussion about this film. The discussion was very interesting and intelligent were asked by both the adults and the children who attended.

I would like to thank Eleanor Sier and the Phoenix Cinema family for organising this screening.

By Charmaine Simpson

Haiti: Year Zero + 2

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January 12th 2012 marked the second anniversary of the 7.0 magnitude earthquake that hit Haiti, resulting in the death of over 300,000 people marking the worst humanitarian disaster for 65 years. Two years on, the billions raised to help rebuild Haiti has not been used to help Haiti and 600,000 people are still living under tents and tarpaulins. Women and children are being raped and sexually abused in these camp cities in Haiti. And now to add to the horrendous conditions that the people of Haiti live in, they are fighting against an outbreak of cholera introduced to Haiti by the UN by infected Nepalese soldiers.

We attended an event at the TUC Congress House to commemorate and fundraise to help Haitians help themselves. The event titled ‘Haiti: Year Zero + 2′ was organised by the Haiti Support Group, Trade Union Congress, Haiti First Haiti Now!, Reparations Campaign, Caribbean Labour Solidarity, Global Afrikan Congress, United Haitians in the UK, Operation Futureproof, Pan Afrikan Society Community Forum and RMT. This edutainment event combining activism and edutainment was very good and well supported on the night.

There were a number of stalls at the event with charities such as United Haitians UK and Friends of Felicitie, who work tirelessly to support the people of Haiti.

Neville Lawrence, who had recently got some justice for the murder of his son Stephen Lawrence 18 years ago was in attendance. David Neita and Zena Edwards gave a tribute to his persistence and determination to seek some justice for their son.

We met up with our multi-talented friend Akala who would perform later at the event and engaged in a good discussion about the over representation of young black men in the prison system and our love for books amongst other things.

After networking in the lobby we went into the main hall where the main action was.

Mario Joseph who is Haiti’s leading Human Rights lawyer gave a brilliant address highlighting what is really going on in Haiti. He stressed with apology that France and the US are the countries behind Haiti’s impoverishment. Never do they speak about how the US removed all the gold from the Haitian Central Bank. Haiti paid 15 million francs to France after the Haitian Revolution. Since 2004, Haiti has been under military occupation by the US. Mario asked the audience to question the information that we receive through the mainstream media and to seek the truth about the conditions in Haiti. He went on to say that mainstream media are feeding us lies about Haiti. One way to have solidarity with Haiti is to seek out information. The Haitians need our solidarity to get out of the situation they are in.

We sang and danced away to the sounds of Alexander D Great and Debra Romain, Carmen Rodney, Dennis Bovell and Akala with Ashebar & the Afrikan Revolution. The drumming with the call and response from Asebar was a good way to awaken the spirits in aid of Haiti. Nothing beats live music! The young prince playing the drums was very inspirational to watch. All the songs had a message of love, support and hope for Haiti.

Haiti needs our support! This can be done through grassroots organisations such as United Haitians UK (www.uhuk.org) and Friends of Felicite (www.friendsoffelicite.co.uk)

You can use social media networks to keep Haiti in the minds of the people and share true information about what is going on in Haiti.

Thank you to the organisers of this event and we hope that they exceeded their targets for the funds collected.

Check out the articles below:

 

• The Truth About Haiti’s Cholera Epidemic: An Interview with Dr. Renaud Piarroux | Black Agenda Report http://blackagendareport.com/content/truth-about-haiti%E2%80%99s-cholera-epidemic-interview-dr-renaud-piarroux

• The Uses of Haiti’s Poor Children: Guinea Pigs for Cholera Vaccines | Black Agenda Report http://blackagendareport.com/content/uses-haiti%E2%80%99s-poor-children-guinea-pigs-cholera-vaccines

• Haiti: Seven Places Where the Earthquake Money Did and Did Not Go | Black Agenda Report http://blackagendareport.com/content/haiti-seven-places-where-earthquake-money-did-and-did-not-go

By Charmaine Simpson

Namibia: The Original Holocaust

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We started off our programme for 2012 with a presentation titled ‘Namibia: The Original Holocaust’, on Monday 9th January 2012 at the PCS Headquarters in Clapham Junction.

January is the month where the world comes together for Holocaust Memorial Day for the victims of the Jewish Holocaust. Contrary to popular belief, the Jewish genocide is not the first genocide of the 20th century. The Genocide of the Herero and Nama people by the Germans is considered to be the first genocide in the 20th century.

But where is our memorial?

Where are our events to commemorate the Nama and Herero people?

I decided to give a presentation this month as my way of tribute to the survivors and victims of the forgotten genocide, the genocide of the Herero and Nama people. Over a hundred years ago the German army – many of whom were inspired by racial theories that were to form the bedrock of later Nazi racial thinking, exterminated 75% of the Herero, and 50% of the Nama from 1904 until 1907 in so called German South-West Africa (modern day Namibia), during the Scramble for Africa. Over 100, 000 Africans died during this period.

In the presentation, I spoke about the arrival of the Germans in the 1800s where they started to use divide and rule tactics to clear the Nama and Herero people off their land in the pursuit to exploit the land of their resources such as Uranium, Tin, Tungsten, Copper, Diamonds, Gold, Silver, Lithium and Natural Gas.

It was Lieutenant-General Lothar von Trotha on October 2nd 1904, who issued his order to exterminate the Herero from the region declaring:

“All the Herero must leave the land. If they refuse, then I will force them to do it with the big guns. Any Herero found within German borders, with or without a gun, will be shot. No prisoners will be taken. This is my decision for the Herero people.”

As with the Democratic Republic of the Congo today, rape was used as a weapon of war. After the genocide of the Herero, the Nama people were next in line. On April 22 1905, von Trotha sent his clear message to the Nama: they should surrender.

“The Nama who chooses not to surrender and lets himself be seen in the German area will be shot, until all are exterminated. Those who, at the start of the rebellion, committed murder against whites or have commanded that whites be murdered have, by law, forfeited their lives.”

During the Nama uprising, half the group (over 10,000) were killed; the 9,000 or so left were confined in concentration camps.

Those who survived, mainly women and children were sent to the concentration camps like those on Shark Island to be worked to death or be subjected to medical experiments by Eugen Fischer. He conducted medical experiments using children of Herero people and mixed race children of Herero women and German men as test subjects to feed his obsession with racial purity. They forced the women to harvest the skulls of the fallen so they could be sent to museums, universities and anthropological collections in Germany. Only a handful of the skulls have been returned to Namibia.

The genocide of the Nama and Herero people has been written out of history. It is up to us to teach others about what happened and to keep this memory alive.

Further reading

• Firpo W.Carr, “Germany’s Black Holocaust 1890-1945: The Untold Truth! Details Never Revealed Before, Scholar Technological Institute of Research, Inc, 2003. Go to http://www.stirinc.org/germanysblackholocaust.html
• Casper W. Erichsen, “The angel of death has descended violently among them: Concentration camps and prisoners-of-war in Namibia, 1904-08″, University of Leiden African Studies Centre, Leiden, 2005.

By Charmaine Simpson

Black History Studies on Tropical FM

Black History Studies appeared on Tropical FM on Sunday 8th January 2012 with Ebony Empress to discuss the work of  Black History Studies and to discuss the Kwanzaa principle of Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility).

To watch the show, please go to http://www.tropicalfm.com/djs/ebonyempress/profile.php and click on show 8.

Mark and Charmaine of Black History Studies with Ebony Empress of Tropical FM

Liberty Hall: The Legacy of Marcus Garvey

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Whilst waiting to renew car insurance in Kingston I stumbled on an advertisement for the Marcus Garvey Museum in Kingston. I was shocked that I had not come across this museum in my research on Jamaica.

On Friday 2^nd December 2011, we embarked on a family outing to the Marcus Garvey Museum with husband, daughter and uncles. We arrived in Kingston and headed downtown, passing the derelict buildings along the route to King Street. King Street is a busy city centre with vendors selling their wares along the pavement. We arrived at the Museum and were greeted by a statue of Marcus Garvey and beautiful sankofa birds on the gate. The forecourt of the Museum is decorated with beautiful mosaics which I was told were created by the young people of Kingston. The security guard greeted us warmly and signed us into the visitor book.

Liberty Hall is a living monument to Marcus Garvey. It provides facilities for education, entertainment and enrichment of spirit for people in Jamaica and visitors from abroad. Liberty Hall’s mission is:

“to inform the public about the work of Jamaica’s First National Hero, and to use his philosophy and opinions to inspire, excite and positively affect the self-identity of Jamaican people, while creating social and economic wealth.”

We were greeted by Andrew Brown who welcomed us to the Museum and gave us an introduction to the Museum and its history. The Marcus Mosiah Garvey Multimedia Museum is the world’s first museum dedicated to the life and work of Marcus Garvey.  The museum is small but packed with information about the life and legacy of Marcus Garvey. There are interactive screens with videos and information about his life and work with the UNIA.

We were introduced to Donna McFarlane, the Director/Curator of the Museum who showed us around the Library and the Garvey Multimedia Computer Centre which provides computer access and training to members of the surrounding community at a nominal fee. Donna informed us that the building next door, the Odd Fellows Hall at 78 King Street, has been purchased by the Institute of Jamaica and plans are underway for its renovation.

The future plan is construction of a new purpose built structure that will facilitate a sustainable long-term solution to the problem of space currently experienced at Liberty Hall as well as accommodates a number of important developments and plans which Liberty Hall hopes to expedite, including:

1. Expansion of the Garvey Research/Reference Library to create the Amy Jacques Garvey Centre for Pan-African Research featuring the Cecil Gutzmore Library.
2. Expansion of the Garvey Multimedia Computer Centre to accommodate twenty five computers and to offer literacy and numeracy classes for adults and children.
3. Development of a temporary exhibition space to be used for contemporary art exhibitions by local and foreign artists.
4. Provision of offices and a multipurpose space.

I look forward to seeing this new building.

We enjoyed our time at the Museum and would recommend that you visit the museum when in Jamaica. Purchase the museum catalogue for a summary of the information in the museum and support the museum with your donations.

On my return to London, I looked on the Visit Jamaica website under heritage and could not believe that the museum is not listed as a place to go! A museum on the life and legacy of the Jamaica’s National Hero and a museum dedicated to his legacy do not get a listing? Wha gwarn??? I shall be writing to them to correct this and will do my best to promote the museum with our network.

In the meantime, go to their website at http://libertyhall-ioj.org.jm/ and follow them on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Liberty-Hall-The-Legacy-of-Marcus-Garvey/89999038853