1. Exploding myths about our society

If you have not already done the quiz, this would be a good point to do it. What information in the quiz surprised you? Why?

2. Glossary

Pick out four or five words from the list below whose meaning may not be clear to you. Find out the meaning of these words and use them to add to your own glossary of keywords on the history of race in the 20th century.

Try to write the meanings in your own words rather than copying them out of a dictionary. Imagine you are trying to explain the words to a younger person. What would you say? How could you use examples to help explain the meaning to them?

The section 'What do the terms mean?' below is a good starting point.

• Repatriation
• Migration
• Immigration
• Emigration
• Prejudice
• Discrimination
• Racism
• Race Relations
• Nationality
• Citizenship
• Housing
• Employment
• Resistance
• 'Black'
• 'Race'
• Fascism
• Settlement
• Multicultural
• Ethnic

Note to teachers

Some pupils may require additional support with the keywords. For example, give them words and meanings on cards. Ask them to match them.

3. What do the keywords mean?

Look at the meanings below for two very important keywords: 'race' and 'black'. Now write the meanings for the other keywords.

'Race'
There is no biological validity (truth) behind the idea of 'race'. However it is a term which people use to describe others, e.g. the black 'race'. Social scientists and historians tend to use the term in quotation marks, to show that it is a social construct not based in fact.

'Black'
In Britain today we use the term either about people of African, African-Caribbean and Asian origin (taken as a group) or the phrase 'black and Asian', the term 'black' referring only to those of African and African-Caribbean origin. The expressions 'non-white', 'coloured' and 'half-caste' are outdated and generally found offensive by black people, since they represent an aspect of white ethnocentricity (view of the world). 'Mixed race' and 'dual heritage' have replaced the term 'half-caste'.

Prejudice

Racism

Discrimination

Racial harassment

Ethnicity

Nationality

4. Mind your language

Over time, language becomes enriched by words and phrases from other languages. The English language has been created and enriched by many languages including Celtic, French, Latin, German, Sanskrit/Hindi, Arabic.

During the British Empire, words such as bungalow, pyjama, juggernaut, khaki, mandarin, thug, yoga, became part of English from Sanskrit/Hindi.

Sometimes the meaning of words is changed in a racist way. If we then use these words we are ourselves being racist. For example, 'palaver' (see Programme 1, 'Empire') is an African language word for a meeting. In English this word is often used to describe unnecessary fuss or pointless chatter. It is therefore insulting to African culture.

Find out the origin of the following words:

• Satsuma
• Amok
• Caravan
• Alcohol
• Assassin
• Amber
• Tariff
• Zero
• Kebab
• Cinnamon
• Juke box
• Mishmash
• Coach
• Sauna
• Barbecue
• Reggae
• Toboggan
• Anorak

After Viewing

5. Role of the individual in fighting injustice

Who was Granville Sharp? What was his campaign? Why did he start it? What did he achieve?

The following are all black writers.

• Ukawsaw Gronnliosaw
• Phillis Wheatley
• Ignatius Sancho
• Ottobah Cugoano
• Olaudah Equiano

a) Choose one of them and find out about their life and their writing.

b) Write a letter to a history textbook publisher justifying their inclusion in a new textbook.

6. Britain – home to the Commonwealth

On 22 June 1948, a ship called Windrush arrived in Britain carrying 492 Jamaicans who were also British citizens. The headline of the Evening Standard was 'Welcome Home', reflecting the view of Britain as the 'motherland' to all members of the British Commonwealth and Empire.

a) Why did the Evening Standard run this headline?

b) Think about the evidence you have seen in the programme. How important were economic needs in influencing the attitudes of the British government towards migrant workers?

7. Finding out about music and sport

Choose one black sporting or musical personality to do an enquiry on. What is or was their particular contribution to British society? How did they achieve this?

You may want to choose names from the list below and start your enquiry by searching the Internet. All of these individuals are mentioned in Roots of the Future: Ethnic diversity in the making of Britain, Council for Racial Equality, 1996.

• Walter Tull
• Ian Wright
• John Barnes
• Learie Constantine
• Mark Ramprakash
• Jeremy Guscott
• Ellery Hanley
• Linford Christie
• Fatima Whitbread

• Julian Joseph
• Andy Hamilton
• Courtney Pine
• Shirley Bassey
• Seal
• Freddie Mercury
• Goldie
• Skin
• Funki Dred

8. Racism and sport

Norman Tebbit suggested the use of a 'cricket test' to identify national identity. Find out what he meant by this. Discuss your reaction to his suggestion. How did people like Sir Herman Ouseley react?

The FA has launched a campaign called 'Kick it Out'. What is this campaign about?

9. Racism: Whose problem?

'The common response to racism was to see it as a problem caused by the presence of black people and other ethnic minorities, rather than seeing it as a problem caused by the attitudes of the majority population.'

a) Put the above quote in your own words to make sure you understand it.

a) Is racism a problem in your school or community? Why/why not?

Discuss the question with another person or in groups. Do they agree with you? Does your school have an anti-racist policy? Why/why not? What does it say? How does it work?

10. Challenging stereotypes

The following extract shows a common stereotype of 'black' people and other ethnic minority groups.

Extract 13 (12.36)

'Visnews' (1964)

This extract focuses on racial discrimination in Birmingham in 1964. The local Conservative councillor is interviewed about housing policy.

a) Look at the stereotypes below. Can you find any contradictions between them?

• 'Black' people are lazy and scrounge off the dole
• 'Black' people take white people's jobs
• 'Black' people live in overcrowded slums
• 'Black' people take white people's housing

b) There is a reference in Programme 2 to 'overcrowding in houses being caused by blacks'. Read the background information about the Notting Hill 'Race Riots'. Who or what is causing the overcrowding?

c) Watch Extract 7. What other reasons might there be for overcrowding amongst the black community?

11. Black people and the police

There is a large amount of information and literature available on this topic. Find out the main points of the Stephen Lawrence case. What were the main conclusions and recommendations of the McPherson Inquiry? The Inquiry referred to 'unwitting racism'. What does this mean? Discuss your reactions to the use of this phrase.

12. Claiming our identities – what do you call yourself?

The author of these Net Notes describes herself as 'Welsh British'. This allows her to express her own ethnic or national identity within her wider national identity.

Some ethnic minorities describe themselves as:

• Black British
• British Asian
• British African Caribbean
• Second Generation Irish/African Caribbean/Asian
• English European

Other cultural identities could also be used, for example, rural/urban, social class, gender, impaired, etc.

Discuss the value and method of expressing your own identity/ identities.

13. Doing your own enquiry

Choose an ethnic group to find out about. You could structure your enquiry around the following questions:

• When and why did this group come to Britain?
• Where did they settle?
• What challenges did they face?
• What was or is their distinctive contribution to British society and culture?