Celebrate Black History Month Petition

Petition for Sacred Heart School to celebrate black history month th

2007 is the 200 anniversary of the ground-breaking Act of Parliament in 1807 that abolished the slave trade throughout the British Empire. Educational and cultural events organised to celebrate this bicentenary have provided millions of people in Britain with an opportunity to learn about the extreme cruelty and racism of the slave system, and the multiracial, broad, popular and powerful movement which brought about its abolition. It is inspiring for the youth of Britain, from all backgrounds and so many different cultures, to learn that dock workers from Liverpool, widows and homemakers from Leicester and Irish immigrants crowded into London’s poorest slums could unite with black runaway slaves and free black men and women, to fight and win freedom and dignity both for slaves they had never laid eyes on and for themselves. 2007 is also the twentieth anniversary of black history month. Each year black history month grows not only in prominence but also in importance. London is now one of the most multiracial cities in the world. Black history month provides a great opportunity to celebrate our diversity and our sameness, to continue our best traditions. Southwark schools that celebrate Black History Month (more to be confirmed)… •

St Michaels RC School

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The Charter School

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Geoffrey Chaucer TC Harris Academy (Dulwich)

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Kingsdale School

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Peckham Academy Archbishop Michael Ramsey

Other schools and colleges… th

St Francis Xavier Catholic 6 Form College (Wandsworth)

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Unlike almost any other celebration, black history month has evolved into an academically centred event. A wide range of private and public bodies have developed black history month curriculums and exhibits. The BBC has compiled a special series of educational programmes for the month. There are also numerous black history month academic competitions and scholarships for school students. Sacred Heart is one of London’s leading Catholic schools. The Catholic Church claims to take pride in our diversity and multiculturalism. A refusal by Sacred Heart School to observe black history month would create the impression that both the school and the Catholic Church wish to send a message of insensitivity and intolerance to black students, black parents, black teachers and the community as a whole.

We, the undersigned students, parents and members of the community, therefore call on Sacred Heart School to begin celebrating black history month annually by holding a student assembly this October. School/Class or Postcode

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Endorsed by (so far): Joseph Semana (Sacred Heart Head Boy 2006/07), Movement for Justice (www.myspace.com/movementforjustice),

If you’d like to endorse the petition please email your details to [email protected]

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