Black History for Families Course

As an adult, what do you say to your child when they ask: “Mum, my teacher says that the only thing that Black people have ever achieved throughout history is to be someone else’s slave! Is this true?”

What would your response be to this question? What are you going to do to rectify this situation?

Black History for Families is a new and thought-provoking 20 week course starting on Sunday 11th April 2010 to Sunday 12th September 2010. The course is divided into two terms of 10 weeks each and covers some of the biggest stories in the ancient, medieval and modern history of Black people.

The course will be wholly introductory to children aged 11 to 15 AND their parents. Most of the classes are one hour long, but Classes 1, 11, and 16 include an orientation and are thus two hours long.

The information itself is designed to inspire, challenge, and to provoke serious thought and discussions.

The Programme

The first half of TERM ONE consists of an orientation followed by five classes that cover the origin and evolution of civilisation in early Africa

The programme is as follows:
 0. Orientation and Introduction to African History
 1. The Ancient History of the Nile Valley
 2. The Songhai Empire
 3. Medieval Nigeria
 4. The East African Coast
 5. Ancient Axum

The second half of TERM ONE consists of five classes that cover early African contributions to science and technology

The programme is as follows:

 6. Early African Contributions to Astronomy
 7. Early African Contributions to Navigation
 8. Early African Contributions to Metallurgy
 9. Early Architecture in Africa
 10. Early African Contributions to Medicine

The first half of TERM TWO consists of five classes which cover mass enslavement and the resistance to it.

The programme is as follows:

 0. Orientation to Mass Enslavement
 11. The Slave Trade
 12. Black Societies and Resistance in Brazil and Guyana
 13. Black Societies and Resistance in Jamaica and Barbados
 14. Black Societies and Resistance in the United States
 15. The Haitian Revolution and the End of Mass Enslavement

The second half of TERM TWO consists of five classes which bring the story more up-to-date.

The programme is as follows:

16. Black Personalities in 18th and 19th century Britain
17. The Pan African Movement
18. Black Literature in the Atlantic Age
19. Black Scientists and Inventors of the Atlantic Age
20. Black Music in the Atlantic Age

The course will run for 20 weeks, one class per week on Sunday afternoon from 2.30pm to 3.30pm/ 4.30pm at PCS Learning Centre, 3rd Floor, 231 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London, SW1V 1EH (5 minutes walk from Victoria Station). Reading lists and handouts are provided.

The cost of the course for 1 term (10 weeks) are below:
• £90 – 1 Adult, 1 Child (10 weeks)
• £130 – 1 Adult, 2 Children (10 weeks)
• £180 – 2 Adult, 2 Children (10 weeks)

The cost of the course for 2 terms (20 weeks) are below:
• £160 – 1 Adult, 1 Child (20 weeks)
• £180 – 1 Adult, 2 Children (20 weeks)
• £230 – 2 Adult, 2 Children (20 weeks)


Please note; places on this course are limited. Places are available on a first come, first served basis and we anticipate that there will be a lot of demand for this course. If you would like to attend this course, please contact us for a booking form.

If you have any questions about the course or require more information about enrolling, please contact Black History Studies.

"If you expect the present day school system to give history to you, you are dreaming. This, we have to do ourselves. The Chinese didn't go out in the world and beg people to teach Chinese studies or let them teach Chinese studies. The Japanese didn't do that either. People don't beg other people to restore their history; they do it themselves." – John Henrik Clarke, Historian