Richard Kennett, Sally Thorne & Kate Smee.

A talk followed by questions 28^th April 2021

Last night’s talk by three gifted and committed local History teachers about teachers’ response to last summer’s events was an inspirational event in an exceptional year for the Bristol Branch of the HA.  Richard Kennett of Redland Green School put the project into context by discussing the emotions and reactions last summer’s toppling of Colston’s Statue and the Black Lives Matter Movement had aroused for the teachers of Bristol. They re-examined  their  teaching of this episode in Black British History and especially Bristol’s own History.  Sally Thorne Head of Humanities at Colston’s Girls School (soon to be renamed Montpelier High) explained the problems with a victim narrative of Black History that too often centred on the mechanics and the macabre elements rather than putting Black people at the centre of the story.  The problems with using source material that related to US History rather than the Caribbean were well established together with the unsuitability of using empathy and the silences or gaps that existed in much of the teaching of this topic before 2020.  Kate Smee Head of Humanities at Fairfield High School picked up the presentation by examining how this project established

• A wider narrative including three continents with named locations not just generalisations
• Put enslaved people at the forefront of the story and gave them agency
• Put the focus on impact not just mechanics

Kate discussed in particular how teachers could also learn from their students about the experiences they had had of racism. She drew thought provoking parallels with the teaching of the Holocaust. Richard then explained how the book these teachers had written with support from the Museum, the City of Bristol and the University was produced in a very different way from the typical materials produced by publishers.  It had been peer reviewed by academics with specialist knowledge every step of the way, with particular mention of one of our speaker’s this year Dr Richard Stone.  It had also been peer reviewed by Black teachers and local History teachers of different political outlooks.  There was a really enthusiastic and lively discussion by the audience after the talk.  It was clear many could not wait to read this textbook and use it with their students. The book is being published this summer and Richard, Kate and Sally are giving a talk about the project at this summer’s National HA Conference. Today Rob received lots of feedback from members who are no longer teachers who were just as excited by the talk.

Mary Feerick BRISTOL HISTORICAL ASSOCIATION