Group Discussion conducted by the History Society

The History Society conducted a Group Discussion on African-American History on March 13, 2020 as a belated tribute to Black History Month (February).

The Group Discussion was an open invite to all students and was conducted in a call and response format where the moderators would present data and then ask for comments, points, etc. from the participants. It covered a brief history of African-Americans, beginning with the voyages and the capture and enslavement of Africans by the European colonists, continuing with the numerous trials and tribulations that were faced by the enslaved African-Americans that spanned across centuries.

The students discussed the American Revolution, the Civil War, the discriminatory measures sanctified by the Black Codes, Jim Crow, racist institutions such as the Ku Klux Klan and the ideology of white supremacy, and finally with a conversation on segregation, revolutionaries like Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr.

Simultaneously, such historical events were compared and contrasted with the present day scenario. Parallels were sought between the freedom struggle of the African-Americans and our own, in addition to analysing modern concepts of cultural appropriation vs appreciation, black-face, 21st century icons, and existing notions and stereotypes of cultures.

Overall, it was an enriching discussion that found active participation from all those present, with enlightening perspectives being put forth on globally debated topics.