By Rianna Wilson Likely, you have never heard of Misa Hylton before, but if I told you to think of the infamous purple jumpsuit Lil’ Kim wore, or Mary J. Blige in her Not Gon‘ Cry music video, or even the brown MCM bodysuit Beyoncé wore in the Apes*** video you’d know what I wasContinue reading “Misa Hylton: Innovator, Revolutionary and All-Round It Girl”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
From Harlem to Global Mogul: The Creative Impact of Dapper Dan
by Sophia Harberd Fashion plays a central part within Black culture and identity. The clothes, outfits, and accessories that we wear tell stories about our heritages and histories, as well as the traditions and skills that are passed down within material construction creative processes. Many items of clothing or accessories have become indicative of aContinue reading “From Harlem to Global Mogul: The Creative Impact of Dapper Dan”
Connecting Black Atlantic Languages
By Ife Thompson Unpacking the interconnectedness of Black Atlantic languages whilst disrupting linguistic supremacy through a decolonial lens. As words like Lit, Snitch, Tings, Gwarn, Gyal, Dem, Dey, Nyash and Bae have become words used by Black British English speakers and have effectively been creolised into Black British English. It is important we better understandContinue reading “Connecting Black Atlantic Languages”
A Brief History of Black Cowboys
By Pamilerin Thompson In this blog post, I look at famous Black cowboys and the influence they had on ‘cowboy culture’ in the US. I also explore the vital relevance Black cowboys have in our community today: including the sense of self-worth cultivated and developed by contemporary Black cowboy programmes. Let’s get into it! HistoryContinue reading “A Brief History of Black Cowboys”
Black Foods in the USA
by Rianna Wilson Food is a big deal in the US and Black food is an even bigger deal. We have all seen pictures of the elaborate and hearty cookouts, barbecues, seafood boils, Juneteenth celebrations, and the festive holiday meals that Black Americans make. So, what makes their meals different? The answer is Soul. “SoulContinue reading “Black Foods in the USA”
Black Foods in South America & The Caribbean
by Rianna Wilson We’re back for another installment of ‘Black Foods In…’ and today we are looking at foods eaten in South America and the Caribbean. So how did Black foods (and people) end up in South America and the Caribbean? I think the answer is simple, the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade — the forced kidnappingContinue reading “Black Foods in South America & The Caribbean”
Jungle Music & Gentrification
The emergence of jungle music in the early 1990s deserves a special spot on the timeline of Black British music. The unique blend of reggae, reggaeton, dancehall, hip-hop, soul and funk sounds was built on a foundation of Black British artists, yet enjoyed commercially by the masses. Jungle music and the surrounding community marked a safe space for young Black people to partake in their own ‘rave-style’ events.
The History of Black Foods in Africa
We all love food, right? Eating it, cooking it, even watching other people cook it. But have you ever thought about the history of the food you love to eat?
The myth of “proper” English – How the ban on Black British English continues a colonial tradition of linguistic injustice
By Oyin Makinde & Eve Doran Upon learning about the ‘language ban’ of Black British English (BBE) at Ark All Saints Academy, BLAM UK wrote an open letter detailing the harm caused by such practices and demanding the removal of it. In response, we received a short letter that ignored and misidentified language discrimination againstContinue reading “The myth of “proper” English – How the ban on Black British English continues a colonial tradition of linguistic injustice”
Campaign Update – Banning of Black British English at Ark All Saints Academy
On Monday 11th October we received a short letter from Principal Lucy Frame at Ark All Saints Academy in response to our open letter sent on 7th October. We were disappointed that the letter was generic and that it failed to respond to any of the points we raised in our detailed letter. The Academy’sContinue reading “Campaign Update – Banning of Black British English at Ark All Saints Academy”
BLAM UK CIC 