“The first humans
According to palaeontologists, the earliest stage of human evolution is believed to have started in Africa about 7 million years ago. The oldest fossils of the early ancestors of humankind have been found here, and it is the only continent that shows evidence of humans through the key stages of evolution.”
“Protohumans
Early humans are known as proto-humans and these are thought to have evolved in Africa around 2.5 million years ago, they were the first to have developed larger brains and stand upright.
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“First Black African states are formed
The West African Soninke people created the Ghanaian empire which controlled the area between Senegal and the Upper Niger Rivers. As the empire flourished, smaller groups developed in South Africa. The Mali Empire was one such community, it became the largest and most powerful empire after the fall of the Ghanaian empire and converted many living in western Sudan to Islam, they also developed the famous city of Timbuktu, which became the centre for trade, Muslim religion and education.
Smaller states included Berber, Songhai and Kanem-Bornu, which also thrived in different parts of Africa.
Trade routes were established during Greek and Roman times and were increased across the Sahara desert when the camel was introduced.”
“European arrivals
Europeans first landed on the West coast of Africa during this time, they were initially from Portugal and were quickly followed by the Dutch, British and French. The presence of these Europeans quickly disrupted many African’s traditional ways of life. Some fled to remote areas to escape the foreigners but others developed successful trading practices.
Although the Europeans had initially arrived in search of gold and other precious trading commodities, they quickly started to develop the slave trade which involved the export of captured Africans and the first shipment of humans was made to Europe in 1451.
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“Slavery Comes to North America
To satisfy the labour needs of North American colonies, white European settlers kidnapped and transported 20 enslaved Africans to the British colony of Virginia, which opened a new chapter of slavery in North America”
“The Rise of Dahomey
The capital of the Kingdom of Dahomey, Abomey, was founded during this time in present-day Benin, West Africa. It was to become a powerful state with a strong connection to the Atlantic slave trade.”
“The Royal African Company
The Royal African Company was established by Royal Charter, which gave it a monopoly on managing the trade of slaves from ports in West Africa to the English colonies in the Americas.
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“The first African American poet
Phillis Wheatley was a young black girl who was sold as a slave to a family called the Wheatley’s, she was named after the ship that took her to the US, the Phillis.
After learning to read and write, which was unusual in itself, Phillis wrote her first poem at 14 years of age. When she was 20, she moved to England with her son and published her first volume of poetry in 1773 and proved that women who were slaves could also have amazing intellectual ideas, which contributed to the anti-slavery movement.”
“Sugar & Slavery
From North and South America to the Caribbean and Australia, Sugar and slavery became one and the same. Slavery and other forms of forced labour were used to produce sugar, which then became the main importation for England between the mid-18th century to the 19th century.”
“The Zong Massacre
It is recorded that in this year a Captain called Collingwood threw a total of 132 Africans that were sick off the slave ship Zong so he could collect insurance money for them. This event helped stir up help for the movement against the Atlantic slave trade.”
“Rise of the Cotton Industry
Following the Revolutionary War, North America faced an economic crisis and the price of enslaved people was dropping, the continued growth of slavery seemed in doubt. Around the same time, the textile industry in England gained an insatiable demand for American cotton which in turn led to an increased demand for enslaved Africans.
During this year Congress also passed the Fugitive Slave Act, making it a federal crime to assist an enslaved person trying to escape.”
“The Hatian Revolution
After 12 years of struggle, the first independent black republic in the Americas was established after thousands of Africans which were previously enslaved conquered the British, Napoleonic French and Spanish armies.”
“Abolition of the Slave Trade Act
On this day British parliament passed the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act which made it illegal to purchase slaves directly from Africa. However, the practice of slavery remained widespread and legal.”
“African Repatriation
The American Colonisation Society pays for 80 African Americans to be repatriated back to Africa. Their attempt to establish a colony almost fails but they are later followed by others and go on to establish Liberia.”
“Nat Turner’s Revolt
Nat Turner led the only effective slave rebellion in US history. That night he and his followers killed his owners and set off toward the town of Jerusalem. The group killed approximately 60 white people in two days before being overwhelmed just outside Jerusalem. This increased the anti-slavery feeling in North America through the 1860s, and the abolition movement was fueled by enslaved people trying to liberate themselves and the Quakers who opposed slavery on religious or moral grounds.”
“The Baptist War
The slave rebellion in Jamaica, also known as the Baptist War, the Sam Sharpe Rebellion, the Christmas Rebellion and even the Christmas uprising, was an 11-day rebellion that involved up to 60,000 slaves in the colony of Jamaica. The movement initially starts off as passive resistance, but becomes an open rebellion against slavery. This uprising is credited with speeding up the full abolition a few years later.”
“The Transitional from Slavery
Although slavery was now abolished in most British colonies a new transitional phase came into effect which included reassigning roles of slaves as ‘apprentices’ for up to six years for low or no pay - however, this system came to an end in 1838.”
“Civil War & Emancipation
The Civil War started in the spring of 1861, at its outset it was not a war to abolish slavery, it was in fact first and foremost a war to preserve the Union. However, by the summer of 1862, Lincoln could not avoid the slavery subject any longer, and after the Union victory at Antietam in September, he issued the preliminary emancipation proclamation. Making it official on 1 January 1863 that enslaved people within any State “shall be then, thenceforward, and forever free.””
“The Morant Bay Rebellion
In October 1865 several hundred black people marched in protest to injustice and widespread poverty in Morant Bay, during the fighting with the authorities that ensued, hundreds of people were killed and seriously wounded. After governor, Edward John Eyre declared martial law in the area, many innocent black people, including women and children, were killed and arrested. An official enquiry by England was critical of the Governor, and he was dismissed, the 200-year-old assembly was abolished and the Crown Colony government was established in its place.
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“The Post-Slavery South
Although the Union victory in the Civil War gave approximately 4 million enslaved people their freedom there were still major challenges to be overcome.
The 13th Amendment was adopted late in 1865 and it officially abolished slavery, but the white southerners re-established authority in the Confederate states, ultimately resulting in the creation of the Ku Klux Klan in 1866.
Eventually, the 15th Amendment in 1870 guaranteed that all citizens had a right to vote, regardless of race, colour or previous servitude and during this time Black Americans won elections to southern state governments and US Congress.”
“Brazillian Slavery Eradicated
In Brazil enslaved Africans managed to escape and created a community that continued all through the 17th century. Every 15 months the Portuguese would dispatch a team to try and suppress this long-running slave revolt but it succumbs and to this day Brazil remains a country that contains one of the largest populations of African descendants in the world.”
“NAACP
The National Association for the Advancement of Coloured People (NAACP) was formed in 1909 as an interracial organisation created to work for the abolition and segregation and discrimination. It became an important movement in the fight for the vote for African Americans. One of the founders of this association, WEB Du Bois, had the idea that this association could influence black activists all over the world.”
“The Race Riots
Race riots break out across the British Isles, sparked in part by housing shortages, leading to black-owned businesses and black sailors in cities including Glasgow and London being targeted by white crowds. ”
“First Black Olympian
Harry Edward was born in Germany in April 1898 and he showed promise as an athlete at an early age. However, he was imprisoned as a prisoner of war in the Ruhleben internment camp during the First World War until 1918 when he was released and immigrated to the UK.
Harry became involved in athletics again whilst teaching languages in London and became so successful at the sprint events, he was selected for the 100m, 200m and sprint relay team at the 1920 Antwerp Olympics. Subsequently winning the bronze medal in the 100m and 200m races and becoming the first black person to gain an Olympic medal.”
“The Tulsa Race Massacre
One of the most serious episodes of racial violence against African Americans in the history of the US is the Tulsa race massacre. An area dubbed ‘Black Wall Street’ suffered two days of attacks by white gangs which resulted in the deaths of up to 300 black and white people, an additional 10,000 people were left homeless, and 1,400 business premises were ruined.”
“Negro History Week
In February of this year, Carter G Woodson initiated the first celebration of Negro History Week. It went on to become a month-long celebration in 1976. The month of February was chosen to coincide with the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln.
It is celebrated in February in the United States and Canada, while in Ireland, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom it is observed in October.”
“First Black Woman to join the British Armed Forces
In 1939, at the onset of the Second World War, Lilian Bader enlisted in the Navy, Army and Air Force Institutes (NAAFI) in Yorkshire, becoming one of the first black women to join the British Armed forces.”
“Apartheid
Apartheid (derived from the Afrikaans word for separateness) was introduced in South Africa during this year. It was an ideology supported by the National Party government and called for the separate development of the different racial groups in South Africa and South-West Africa (now Namibia).
This political system governed every aspect of life from 1948 through to 1991 and sparked significant resistance before finally being dismantled in a series of negotiations from 1990 to 1991.”
“The Empire Windrush
The Empire Windrush arrived in the UK on 22nd June 1948, carrying over 1,000 passengers. The Windrush had stopped in Jamaica to pick up some of the servicemen and women that had been recruited to serve in the armed forces during the Second World War.
The people of the Windrush, their children and grandchildren have played a vital role in creating a new concept of what it means to be British. To be British in the present day implies a person who might have their origins in Africa, the Caribbean, China, India, Greece, Turkey or anywhere else in the spectrum of nations.”
“First Black Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Dr Ralph J Bunche is a world-renowned African American diplomat and a founding member of the United Nations. He is best known for his peacekeeping efforts in the Middle East and Africa.
He became the first African American to be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1950 for his work in resolving the Arab-Israeli conflict in Palestine.”
“Montgomery Bus Boycott
Rosa Parks started the Montgomery bus boycott when she refused to give up her seat for a white passenger in Alabama (the boycott lasts a year). This launches the civil rights movement in the United States which aimed to end racial segregation and remove the legal barriers to voting and education for African-Americans.”
“London’s first black firefighter
Frank Arthur Bailey came to England in 1953, as a political activist, joining the West Indian Standing Conference. Whilst there he heard about the Fire Brigades Union (FBU) but was told that Black People were not employed by the fire service.
However, Frank still applied and joined West Ham Fire Brigade in 1955, serving out of Silvertown Fire Station, which made him the first full time Black firefighter in England. He left in 1965 to become a social worker and the first Black legal advisor at Marylebone Magistrates Court, specialising in working with Black youths.”
“The Introduction of Malcolm X
Malcolm X was featured in a TV documentary called ‘The Hate That Hate Produced’ and became one of the Nations of Islam’s most prominent members.”
“Notting Hill Murder
The first post-war murder of a black person in Britain was in West London, when a black man, Kelso Cochrane, was killed by a group of white youths whilst he was walking home.
Many organisations were enraged by this murder and the lack of charges brought against the men who were arrested. Claudia Jones, the CPPA and other groups formed the Inter-Racial Friendship Co-ordinating Council to draw attention to the racial bias on London’s streets.”
“The Sharpeville Massacre
On this day, in the South African township of Sharpeville, a group of between 5,000 and 10,000 people marched to the local police station to give themselves up for arrest for not carrying their passbooks (these contained identity and work documents). The initial march was peaceful, however as the crowd grew to around 20,000 people, extra police reinforcements were brought in and jets flew overhead to try and disperse the crowds.
The protestors responded by throwing stones at the police and rushing the barricades, the police responded by using tear gas and guns; 69 people were killed and around 180 were injured, including women and children. Many were shot in the back whilst trying to flee. The police reports claim a young inexperienced officer panicked and opened fire which set off a chain reaction.”
““I Have A Dream”
Martin Luther King Jr delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech during a march on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Delivered to over 250,000 supporters the speech is described as a defining moment in the Civil Rights Movement and among the most iconic speeches in American history.”
“The Civil Rights Act
The Civil Rights Act in the US was enacted on this day. This Act makes discrimination based on race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, and later sexual orientation and gender identity illegal. ”
“The Freedom Summer Murders
Three Congress of Racial Equality (CORE) civil rights workers were abducted and killed in Philadelphia by members of the Ku Klux Klan during the Civil Rights Movement. These were James Chaney, Michael Schwerner and Andrew Goodman. They had been working with the Freedom Summer Campaign, attempting to register African Americans to vote.”
“Imprisonment
The apartheid regime saw Nelson Mandela and other ANC leaders sent to prison. Their release was a struggle that created a mass movement around the world. A lot of black and white South African exiles moved to the United Kingdom.”
“Malcolm X is Assassinated
Whilst Malcolm X was preparing to address an audience in Manhattan’s Audubon Ballroom, there was a disturbance in the crowd. As Malcolm X and his bodyguards try to calm things down a man rushed forward and shot him once in the chest with a sawn-off shotgun.
Malcolm X was pronounced dead at 3:30 pm.”
“The Voting Rights Act
On this day, the Voting Rights Act was passed, which banned racial discrimination in voting practices. It was a response to the barriers that had prevented African Americans from voting for nearly a century.”
“Britain’s Youngest & First Black Female Book Publisher
Margaret Busby co-founded the Allison & Busby publishing company in 1967 with Clive Allison, their first office was in Soho, London.
They didn’t just publish work by black writers but they did help to make some of the names of many black writers more well-known.”
“The Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.
Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee. He was shot at the Lorraine Motel in Memphis.
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“Britain’s First Black Female Police Officer
In 1968 Sislin Fay Allen was flicking through a newspaper when she saw an advert for male and female police officers. At the time there were no black female officers but she sat down and wrote the application anyway. This was accepted and a few weeks later Sislin attended the selection day, passing the exams and the medical.
Sislin joined the Croydon Fell Road Police Station in 1968 and was posted to Scotland Yard a year later, working for the missing person bureau, before being transferred to Norbury Police station, leaving in 1972 to move to Jamaica, joining the Jamaican Police force.
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“Race Relations Act
A new Race Relations Act in the UK made it illegal to reject people having access to public services, employment and housing on the basis of their race or ethnicity, received Royal approval on this day.
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“The Soweto Uprising
In South Africa, protests commenced against teachings in schools of Afrikaans. In a town called Soweto, vulnerable people were fired at by the police, claiming hundreds of lives. One of the first children killed was 12 years old at the time and named Hector Pieterson.”
“Steve Biko Murdered
A South African black consciousness leader, Steve Biko was murdered whilst in police custody. He was seized at a roadblock on 18 August 1977 and was found naked and shackled outside a hospital 740 miles away on September 11th 1977. He died the next day of a massive brain haemorrhage.”
“British Olympic Gold Medals
Tessa Sanderson was a British javelin thrower and heptathlete, competing for GB in the Olympics between 1976 and 1996. She became the first black British woman to win an Olympic gold medal in 1984 as a javelin thrower.
Tessa also won gold medals in the javelin throw-in at the Commonwealth Games in 1978, 1986 and 1990 and went on to become a sports reporter. She was awarded the MBE in 1985, the OBE in 1998 and later the CBE in 2004.
Tessa served as the Vice Chairman of Sport England between 1999 and 2005 and founded the Tessa Sanderson Foundation and Academy in 2009, which helps to encourage young people and people with disabilities to take up sport”
“First Black Woman Elected to Parliament
Diane Abbot, born in 1953, made history in 1987 by becoming the first black woman to ever be elected to Parliament in the UK. She also started the London Schools and the Black Child Programme, which aims to help black children do well in school.”
“Los Angeles Riots
Four white police officers were filmed attacking an African American. Rodney King and were acquitted. This sparked riots in Los Angeles”
“South Africa President
Nelson Mandela who was imprisoned in 1962 is released in 1990 and is voted president for South Africa on this day.”
“Million Woman March
An estimated 750,000 black women participated in the Million Woman March in Philadelphia. The reason for the march was to focus on the provision of healthcare, self-help and education.”
“The First & Only Black Woman to Win an Oscar for Best Actress
This is also the year that Halle Berry won an Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in Monster’s Ball (2002), becoming the first and only black woman to have won the award.
Halle has won a number of awards, most notably for her portrayal as Leticia Musgrove in Monster’s Ball, the wife of convicted murderer Lawrence Musgrove.”
“First Black Driver in Formula One
Lewis Hamilton became the first black driver in Formula One when he debuted at the 2007 Australian Grand Prix for McLaren and finished 3rd, his first podium finish.
He has since set several records throughout his career, he has the most career wins, the most pole positions, the most podium finishes, the most career points and the most laps led.
Lewis became the youngest ever driver to win the 2008 F1 world championship, he was aged just 23 years and 301 days.
Also a prominent advocate against racism and for increased diversity in motorsport, Lewis has questioned racial politics and lack of diversity in F1 on several occasions, he is also a prominent figure in support of the #BlackLivesMatter movement.”
“2008 Olympic Gymnast
Louis Smith, a young black gymnast, won a bronze medal on the pommel horse at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, becoming the first time a British male gymnast had won an individual Olympic medal since Walter Tysall in 1908.
Louis was also only the second black male gymnast to win a medal at the Olympics, the first was Jair Lynch of the US in 1996.”
“First African-American president of the United States
Barack Obama was the first African American in history to be inaugurated as the President of the United States. Some of his most notable achievements were the Affordable Care Act, the Paris climate change agreement, and Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals.
Historians, political scientists and other presidential scholars have ranked President Obama 12th amongst all presidents since George Washington for the overall quality of his performance.
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“The Mau Mau Litigation
A legal battle brought by Leigh Day Solicitors and the Kenyan Human Rights Commission against the British Government, on behalf of five Kenyans who had been detained and brutally tortured by the British Colonial administration during the Kenya Emergency (1952 - 1960).
During the run up to independence, and in a reaction to the Mau Mau insurgency, thousands of Kenyans were tortured in colonial detention camps. This treatment by British Colonial officials went unrecognised and unpunished for decades, and historians estimate that 150,000 suspected Mau Mau members and sympathisers were detained in about 150 camps around Kenya.
Widespread acts of brutality were known about and sanctioned by the British Government and included systematic beatings, castration, rape and other sexual assaults. Many of the victims had little or nothing to do with the Mau Mau rebellion.
Although the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) strongly resisted the case, the Government finally agreed to pay £19.9m in damages to 5,228 claimants identified by the solicitors, plus any legal costs. The Foreign Secretary gave a public apology in a statement to the House of Commons on 6 June 2013 and a memorial to the victims was unveiled by the British High Commissioner to Kenya in September 2015.”
“The First South African World Cup final
During this time the football World Cup finals were hosted by South Africa. This was the first time ever the match was held in Africa.”
“The Tottenham Riots
In Tottenham, a 29-year-old man, Mark Duggan was killed after being shot by police. His shooting triggered riots throughout the United Kingdom.”
“First Female Boxer to become an Olympic Champion
Nicola Adams became the first female British boxer to compete in the London 2012 Olympics, winning gold and going on to to become a double Olympic champion at the following a second gold medal at Rio in 2016,
Nicola is black, openly lesbian, and has been named as the most influential LGBT person in Britain by The Independent in 2012, being included in the annual Powerlist and recognised as one of the most influential people of African/African-Caribbean descent in the UK. ”
“#BlackLivesMatter
George Zimmerman shot and killed a defenceless black 17-year-old teenager, Trayvon Martin. The hashtag #BlackLivesMatter was used for the very first time a year later after the killer was acquitted of the murder.”
“Killing of Eric Garner
In Staten Island, New York, Eric Garner, an African-American black man, was put into an illegal stranglehold by a police officer, Eric was said to have been pleading with the officer saying ‘I can’t breathe’ 11 times. After being transported to the medical centre Eric was pronounced dead an hour later.
The Eric Garner Anti-Chokehold Act was passed on 8th June 2020, which states that any police officer in New York who injures or kills anyone can be punished by up to 15 years in prison.”
“The Missouri Protests
In Ferguson, Missouri a white police officer shoots an 18-year-old black man, Michael Brown six times this caused a huge protest to commence. During the protest supporters who believe Michael was surrendering to the police when he was shot were singing ‘Hands up, Don’t shoot.’ Black Lives Matter then becomes a recognised movement globally.”
“Boko Haram Kidnapping
Over 200 girls were kidnapped by a group known as Boko Haram in Nigeria. The hashtag #BringBackOurGirls was a movement worldwide that was introduced. Although 100 girls still remain missing, some of the girls are freed in the end. ”
“Rhodes Must Fall
At the University of Cape Town, South African The Rhodes Must Fall movement commenced the removal of a statue of Cecil Rhodes. In the 19th Century, Rhodes was a mining magnate and a politician who was also said to be a white supremacist. ”
“Legacies of British Slavery
The University College London created an online Encyclopaedia of British Slave Ownership to record slave-ownership in the British Empire in the 1830s. The record shows how widespread slave ownership was.
In 1833 the British government pledged £20 million to reimburse the wealthy slave owners for the freed slaves when slavery was abolished. All UK taxpayers have been paying off this debt for the past 182 years, finally clearing it in 2015.
The slaves themselves were given no compensation, however, their descendants have been helping to pay off the money that went to their ancestor’s owners.”
“Charleston Church Massacre
In South Carolina, a white supremacist shot and killed nine African Americans when they were having Bible study at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.”
“The National Museum of African American History and Culture
In Washington DC, the biggest museum The National Museum of African American History and Culture was launched. The ceremony is conducted by the first African American President Obama. The Museum shows the importance of African Americans in the US and world history.”
“The Windrush Scandal
The Windrush Scandal saw hundreds of Caribbean immigrants living and working in the UK wrongly targeted by immigration enforcement as a result of the government’s “hostile environment” policies.
As a result, many elderly people were suddenly barred from working, refused access to government services, and lost access to welfare benefits as well as losing homes and jobs. This led, in some cases, to black people being detained, deported and even dying as a result.
There was widespread shock and outrage at the fact that so many Black Britons had had their lives devastated by Britain’s deeply flawed and discriminatory immigration system and for those who have been affected by the Windrush scandal, justice has still not been done. There is a huge backlog of cases still to be resolved.”
“Cheddar Man
A DNA study that was from a 10,000-year-old skeleton of Cheddar Gorge indicates that the first modern Briton had dark brown skin. Cheddar Man, as he’s now known, has the genetic markers of skin pigmentation usually associated with sub-Saharan Africa.”
“George Floyd murder
In Minneapolis, a 46-year-old black man, George Floyd, was pinned to the ground by a white police officer after being suspected of using fake currency and died as a result. The police officer Derek Chauvin was recorded on a witness’ phone as he knelt on Floyd’s neck for over 9 minutes. The police officer was later charged with second and third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter.
George Floyd’s murder led to worldwide protests against police brutality, police racism, and lack of police accountability and people in over 60 countries supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.”
““The greatest actor of the twenty-first century”
The New York Times ranked black actor Denzel Washington as the greatest actor of the 21st Century. He’s received nine Academy Award nominations, winning one for Best Supporting Actor in the film Glory (1989) and one for Best Actor in Training Day (2001). He’s also received two Tony Award nominations for his stage work, winning one for his performance in Fences (2010).
Denzel has also been nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards and a Grammy Award nomination, nine Golden Globe Award nominations, winning one for Glory (1989) and The Hurricane (1999). He has also received seven Screen Actors Guild Award nominations, winning Best Actor for his performance in Fences (2015).
Nominations for awards included playing Steve Biko in Cry Freedom in 1988 and Malcolm X in 1993.”
“#Blacktranslivesmatter
Two black trans women were killed in the US within 24 hours, demonstrations intensified, protesters were announcing that Black Trans Lives Matter.”
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