Akyaaba Addai-Sebo

Akyaaba Addai-Sebo is a Ghanaian analyst, journalist and pan-African activist who is credited with developing in 1987 the recognition of October as Black History Month in the UK. With Ansel Wong, Addai-Sebo co-edited the 1988 book Our Story: A Handbook of African History and Contemporary Issues.[1] Addai-Sebo's activism spans the African continent, the United Kingdom and the United States, and his influences include C. L. R. James, Chancellor Williams, and John Henrik Clarke, Jewell Mazique

Background

Born and raised in Ghana, Addai-Sebo was part of Kwame Nkrumah's Young Pioneers Movement.[2][3] His education took him in the 1970s to the United States,[3][4] where he was active when "Negro History Week" became "Black History Month",[5] and witnessed how its national annual observance renewed a sense of pride in African-American children.[3] Among those he worked with in the US were C. L. R. James, Chancellor Williams, Yosef Ben-Jochannan, John Henrik Clarke, Kwame Ture, and Jewell Mazique.[5][6] Addai-Sebo established a radio programme on Pacifica Radio called African Roots American Fruits and ran a schools education programme in the libraries of Washington, DC.[5]

In January 1984 he moved to England, seeking refuge from political persecution during the regime of former military leader Jerry John Rawlings.[7] Settling in London with his wife, Nana Akua Owusu, Addai-Sebo was soon interacting with such members of the Black activist community as C. L. R. James and Darcus Howe, within a year of his arrival taking on the roles of Special Projects Coordinator at the Greater London Council (GLC), and Chair of the African Refugees Housing Action Group, and later Operations Manager of the Notting Hill Carnival.[7]

Black History Month UK

As Special Projects Coordinator of the Ethnic Minorities Unit at the GLC, Addai-Sebo was instrumental in inaugurating the UK's annual Black History Month, first celebrated in 1987.[7] He "conceived an annual celebration of the contributions of Africa, Africans and people of African descent to world civilization from antiquity to the present and got a lot of support from the leadership of the GLC and ILEA and most especially from Mr. Ansel Wong, Head of the Ethnic Minorities Unit and the leader of GLC, Mr. Ken Livingstone."[7] Discussing his inspiration in 2020, Addai-Sebo wrote:

"I had lectured about African traditions in the United States, and children and their parents told me it had given them a new sense of self. Despite all its grand institutions of higher education, the UK was still a touchstone for colonialism, imperialism and racism. ... I devised a plan with the help of the pioneering team at the GLC's Ethnic Minorities Unit (EMU), ably led by Ansel Wong. We launched the GLC Historical Lectures and Concerts, which took place in February through May 1986 to affirm Africa's contribution to civilization. For a week, we filled the Royal Albert Hall with schoolkids to listen to inspirational music and talks. Speakers toured the communities and generated a buzz.... Rev. Jesse Jackson, Angela Davis, Winnie Mandela, Marcus Garvey Jr., Sally Mugabe, Graca Machel, John Henrik Clarke, Yosef Ben-Jochannan, Burning Spear, Ray Charles, Max Roach, Hugh Masekela and many more came to London between 1985 and 1988 at the invitation of the GLC to support the anti-racist and anti-apartheid campaigns."[8]

The lectures would be compiled into the book Our Story: A Handbook of African History and Contemporary Issues (London Strategic Policy Unit, 1988), which Addai-Sebo edited with Ansel Wong.[8]

"Our original goal was to first create an enabling cultural space in the UK celebratory calendar and after public acceptance and recognition extend the observance of October as a month to a Black History Season. To make Black History Season a celebration of the magnificence of cultural diversity and the enriching value in peaceful co-existence. To the African mind, to achieve harmony – both the black and white keys of the organ in tune."[9]

On 1 October 1987 the GLC hosted Dr Maulana Karenga from the US to mark the contributions of Black people throughout history, and Addai-Sebo then drew up a plan to recognise the contributions of African, Asian and Caribbean people to the economic, cultural and political life in the UK, with other boroughs beginning to formally institute October as Black History Month in the UK.[10]

Addai-Sebo has noted: "Although I initiated the idea, making Black History Month was a collective effort, and it could not have been achieved without the London Strategic Policy Unit, an organisation established after the Thatcher government abolished the GLC in 1986. There were many people involved, and it is difficult to mention everyone, but I can mention Ansel Wong, Linda Bellos, Ken Livingstone, Paul Boateng, Margaret Hodge, Anne Matthews, Narendra Makenji, Peter Brayshaw, Drew Stevenson, Bernard Wiltshire, Herman Ouseley, Ken Martindale, Vitus Evans, Chris Boothman, Lord Gifford, Bernie Grant, Shirley Andrews and Edward Oteng among the many. We managed to make this an all party affair.[1][11]

In 2018 Addai-Sebo was named by African Voice newspaper on a list of "61 Influential Ghanaians in the Diaspora".[12]

Addai-Sebo is based in Ghana.[7] Also a journalist,[13] he has written for outlets including Pambazuka News[14] and the Graphic Online.[15]

References
  1. Zamani, Kubara. "Akyaaba Addai-Sebo Interview". Every Generation Media.
  2. Addai-Sebo, Akyaaba (February 2006). "Addai-Sebo: 'Nkrumah Created the Conditions for Me to Be What I Am Today'". New African (448). Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  3. Taylor, Mildred Europa (10 October 2018). "After fleeing political persecution in Ghana, this man founded Black History Month in the UK". Face2Face Africa. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  4. Ra, Shaka (2 October 2017). "#BHM2017 – An Overview on the Origins of Black History Month UK". The British BlackList. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  5. Zamani, Kubara (15 October 2006). "Nubiart Diary - BHM Origins / 'Unity & Community'". Ligali. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  6. Benson, Richard (19 March 2019). "An Unsung Heroine: The Life & Radical Activism of Jewell Mazique". Society for U.S. Intellectual History.
  7. Vernon, Patrick (3 October 2017). "Akyaaba Addai-Sebo". Black History Month. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  8. Addai-Sebo, Akyaaba (13 October 2020). "Black children must be able to believe in themselves. That's what Black History Month is for". CNN. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  9. Akyaaba Addai-Sebo and Ansel Wong, London Strategic Policy Unit, 1988, quoted in "Black History Month". West Sussex County Council. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  10. "Black History Month FAQ". Black History Month. August 2012. Archived from the original on 21 February 2012.
  11. "Black History Month 25 This Year". New African. 1 October 2012. Retrieved 4 November 2020.
  12. "61 Influential Ghanaians in the Diaspora". African Voice. 6 March 2018. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  13. "Academic Community And Santaclausians Lose A Great Patriot". GhanaWeb. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
  14. "Akyaaba Addai-Sebo" at Pambazuka News.
  15. "Busia's development vision - a lesson for President Akufo-Addo". Graphic Online. 28 August 2018. Retrieved 5 November 2020.
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