London Mayor Boris Johnson Drastically Cuts Funding for Black History Month Celebrations

London mayor Boris Johnson cuts funding for Black History Month celebrations, sparks outrage along racial lines. He increased funding for USA Day instead.

Britain's Notting Hill riot, 1958

As we approach the close of America's Black History Month, it is interesting to note that similar celebrations in England have recently come under fire. Boris Johnson, the mayor of London, has cut funding for Black History Month, which is held in October. He has slashed funding for a series of high-profile multicultural events, but he spent £100,000 into a new venture to celebrate America, that's the problem I have with his actions. The Guardian states that he cut spending for Black History Month from £132,000 to £10,000, though city hall insists the previous figure was £76,000. It should also be noted that he made similar cuts for Jewish events as well, so let's just keep it real that this doesn't seem to be a deliberate dig at blacks.

Some have said the actions of Mayor Johnson are "outrageous." But are they? Shouldn't black history be incorporated in schools yearlong? I have asked this question repeatedly about the celebrations here in the United States. Black History Month as it is portrayed now in the media seems to be of little cultural value. I would venture to say that 10 years ago there were more celebratory activities that were broadcast in some capacity. Today, the opposite is true.  It is becoming a divisive issue along racial backgrounds because some say it re-opens old wounds and actually fans the flames of racism all over again. Personally, the contributions of our brave black ancestors must to told to our young people. I suspect that in London, the contributions of people of color have largely been absent from history books.

There seems to be a growing backlash in London that feeds into the notion that multiculturalism has encroached on the rights of white Britons. The reality is that it's time for black Britons to stand up and have their voices heard. They should get off the sidelines, where they have become increasingly disengaged from politics for past decades. Celebrating Black History Month isn't a fix by any stretch of the imagination. They need to fight to be included in everyday life in the United Kingdom, particularly in London. The celebration and commemoration of black contributions shouldn't be relegated to a month. It should be included in school year-round.

The "black experience" is woven into the fabric of the essence of England because if its involvement in colonialism and the slave trade. There are approximately 1.5 million people of African and Caribbean descent living in the United Kingdom.  Even decades after the "Notting Hill Riots," which occurred in late August and early September of 1958, many people of African descent still experience racism in some way in England. For example, the Jamaica Sunday Gleaner commissioned a poll among Jamaicans in Britain in 2007, and found that the respondents believed there is a staggering level of racism.  The survey found that a majority of Jamaicans in Great Britain believed the scourge of racism had intensified in recent years. On that basis, the drastic cuts in funding can be viewed through the lens of racism, thought I think that's a notion without roots. It is obvious that there are real race relations issues in Great Britain, but I don't see how Black History Month will dispel the flawed views some whites have of blacks.

Let me revisit the issue of increased funding by Mayor Johnson for USA Day. He defended his decision to increase the outlay of funds to £100,000 ($150, 000) on the grounds that it will attract more American tourists to the capital. Really? This is just a ploy to subsidize the wealthiest Americans. We all know that the recession has taken a tremendous toll on the middle class, so it's safe to say he's intention isn't to attract that group. So, on that basis, I call his decision to cut funding for Black History Month a real shame. He should cut funding for USA Day as well.

I will close by stating that it is obvious that the celebration  of Black History Month, in the United States and Great Britain, continues to be a hot-button issue. The contributions of our ancestors shouldn't be celebrated one month and then forgotten for the rest of the year. The historians need to tell the truth and not omit the contributions of blacks, Latinos, American Indians, and others from our history. If you want to bring people together, you have to tell the truth and not deliberately deny every child the right to learn about their country's history and the contributions of great men and women.