Guilty
Updated: Nov 12, 2021
Whilst we frequently see small and inherently insignificant changes, deemed as somewhat revolutionary, we propose that you ask yourself “can these alternatives erase the detrimental and continual damage caused by an unfair and heavily biased bureaucracy of 300 years ago?”
British exceptionalism continues to fail to acknowledge how our history reflects within today, a mirror between past and present, pushing racism as an ‘American issue’, as a defensive mechanism, alongside politicians protesting that the UK is “the most tolerant country in Europe”, which dissolves Black British people’s own experiences with racial discrimination and structural racism. This common misconception is closely related to education as we cannot begin to understand the extent of racism in the UK without acknowledging and teaching Britain’s central role in the transatlantic slave trade, the violent, harmful legacies of the British Empire, and how these have impacted our society today. When we dissect the word ‘guilty’ we learn it means to be culpable of or responsible for a specified wrongdoing. We contend that not only are the founders of the West India Committee, the institutionalised slavery guilty of an abundance of heinous crimes- are our teachers, educators and supporters of these statues also feeding into this dangerous prejudice?
Our piece encourages a continuous dialogue between oneself and others about our own understanding and collective memory in the identities and histories that comprise our nation. We want to expel the idea that the revision of history is equal to the erasure of historical events- but rather an acknowledgement of their existence. You cannot rewrite history, but you can tell an accurate version. The decolonisation of education does not solely mean to diversify the curriculum and add optional modules- it is a systematic and structural shift in how we teach, who teaches and what is taught, recognising the Western bias that exists and upholds a narrow Eurocentric lens, and the variety of perspectives and philosophies that are taught. This allows for an equitable system that accommodates and responds to the different needs of all and provides opportunities for everyone to feel belonging and to advance in their chosen path, as well as become well educated and informed about cultures outside of our own so that we have a better understanding of each others backgrounds, perspectives and ways of life.
During the course of our research, we exposed facts regarding to Petersfield towns involvement of infiltrating money directly sourced through the transatlantic slave trade. This is one of the most disquieting pieces of information we discovered, as upon the surface, there remains to be little to no information regarding this. Richard Pennant lies at the heart of this; the inheritor of 4-6 sugar plantations in Jamaica of which he owned nearly 1000 enslaved people to labour upon by 1805, and controlling the Jamaican plantations by letters, Pennant’s instructions reveal that he saw the enslaved people as possessions over human beings, specifically referring to them as ‘chattels’, grouping them under the same form as cattle. The money that he gained from Jamaica was invested into his North Wales estate and subsequently, his developments in the slate industry, the Penrhyn Quarry (we can assume the people he owned were only seen as valuable assets to him as they were earns of profit alongside productivity)- despite his strong links to slavery, he was incorrectly known as ‘Richard Pennant the Improver’ due to his constructions of roads and rails in his industrial developments that was one of the largest slate quarries in the world. Pennant entered the House of Commons as an MP representing Petersfield alongside William Jolliffe in 1761, and within parliament, he used his position of power and network of connections to oppose the slavery abolitionist movement.
Although these issues may not affect you directly, or you may not know how to bring about conversation surrounding these topics, it is imperative that white people recognise that that alone is a privilege. It is through education that we can challenge racism, prejudice and this culture of denialism. The tale of modern Britain is one of racial and ethnic diversity. Teaching Britain's colonial legacy would cause a chain reaction in changing people’s perceptions of ethnic minority communities in the UK, and understanding their unique heritage and historical relationship with Britain.
It would be a huge benefit to our coursework if you could take the time to complete a short (and anonymous) survey surrounding our piece, and what you have read today. Thank you for your time, and for reading our piece.
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