NEW ARTICLE: Celebrating Black History Month 2021

Celebrating Black History Month 2021

An Article by Simon Clark

As with all ‘awareness months’ it is incumbent upon us to educate ourselves, to draw attention to the various struggles, to understand our own part within and to question our own biases and prejudices. It is important to not just dwell on negativity but to revel in and celebrate the figures from that community who have brought us joy.

In February of this year I drew attention to some books and authors for LGBT History Month, and for Pride Month focused on some inspirational figures from Marsha P. Johnson to Divine. For Black History Month 2021, I wanted to draw attention to three great artists. In their own individual fields of music, painting and poetry, they are personal idols.

Give yourself 45 minutes of pleasure by reading the below and clicking the links to their incredible work.

MUSIC: Jessye Norman

It is very difficult to select just one musician to celebrate Black History Month with as the pool is so vast, varied and wide, and full of the most inspiring music we can hear. I have, however, chosen the exceptional, unique, invigorating Jessye Norman.

Jessye Norman was an opera singer who followed in the great tradition of Marian Anderson and became one of the most respected operatic soloists to ever grace a stage. Below are two links to favourite performances, and an interview where you can hear about her work and life in her own words.

1. Singing Schubert’s “Ave Maria”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=do5ZmQQM8AE

2. Singing Richard Strauss’ “Morgen”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bU6h4LbUSH8

3. BBC HARDTalk Interview with Stephen Sackur in 2014: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=keCO9DQE4RI

PAINTING: Keith Piper

This wonderful contemporary artist, who has worked in many mediums, set the art world alight in the 1980s and his work is always powerful, always interesting and always emotional. I am, of course, referring to Keith Piper. Again I could have chosen from an extensive list including Winston Branch, Lynette Yiadom-Boakye, Frank Bowling and Jean-Michel Basquiat, but Piper’s work always hits that special spot for me.

Below are some links to his work, a video interview discussing an exhibition and a print interview.

1. Interview: https://www.a-n.co.uk/fortieth-feature/40-years-40-artists-keith-piper

2. “The Black Assassin Saints”: http://www.keithpiper.info/bodypoliticassassins.html

3. Discussing “Unearthing The Banker’s Bones”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rd5XT3xkWxg

POETRY: Rita Dove

Once again it would be easy for this list to have been exhaustive but having chosen to only select one, it took a lot of consideration and revisiting the works of Grace Nichols, Langston Hughes, June Jordan, Linton Kwesi Johnson, Maya Angelou, Jean Toomer and many more. I have selected the singular voice of Rita Dove.

Below are three links to some favourite poems by Rita Dove.

1. “Canary”: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43359/canary

2. “Insomnia Etiquette”: https://poets.org/poem/insomnia-etiquette

3. “Blues, Straight” Read by Rita Dove: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HPOPk61S31U

So who would be on your list? Why not share that list with your friends and family and keep the conversation going not just this month, but every month.

© Simon Clark 2021