Box of delight

History teaching in schools has long been seen as central to creating a sense of national identity, and in defining the scope of citizenship.

Who and what gets included in the vision of ‘British history’ has been hotly contested, particularly by black and minority ethnic communities, who have campaigned for over five decades for the inclusion of black histories on the curriculum. The establishment of supplementary schools and of Black History Month – which celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2017 – have shown both the significance of a more inclusive version of British history in our increasingly ethnically, racially and religiously diverse society, and the tenacity of BME activists in seeking alternative ways of telling these (hi)stories.