A London council is facing backlash after declining to celebrate Black History Month this year, Yahoo News UK reports.
Critics say the council of the conservative-led borough of Hillingdon in West London is retreating to the “dark ages of racism and ignorance” by declining to commemorate Black History Month, which is celebrated in October in the United Kingdom.
“This is an abhorrent and obnoxious position,” labor organization Lambeth UNISON wrote in a letter to the council. “Hillingdon Council has taken the borough back to the dark ages of racism and ignorance and we fully detest and condemn [the council’s] position on Black History Month.”
In a statement, Hillingdon Council said the borough's identity is a sum of different cultures and nationalities.
“In light of this, the council has made the decision to not educate residents on individual cultures for limited time periods, believing that we should celebrate and provide education on all our variety of cultures throughout the whole year,” the statement reads. “However, internally, as part of the council’s equality, diversity and inclusion work, staff have been holding themed team meetings and events during the month to share knowledge and understanding of Black history and culture.
Hillingdon’s UNISON chapter said the move was “shameful" and accused the council of ignoring "the momentum of protests that followed the killing of George Floyd in the US."
“We recognize the racist agenda is to ignore and deny racism and oppression ever existed,” Lambeth UNISON said in its statement. “By denying celebration of Black History Month, Hillingdon Council is blatantly ignorant and attempting to encourage racism, and preventing the next generation to learn from history.”
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