The Catholic Association for Racial Justice works in partnership with Catholic schools to ensure their admission policies reflect the ethnic diversity of their communities. Since 2003, part of its mission has been to nurture excellence for students of all backgrounds
This is Black History Month, and it’s always a busy time for the Catholic Association for Racial Justice (Carj). We are conducting assemblies and workshops that show that there is more to Black history than learning about slavery.
We tell the stories of one of the inventors of the traffic light (Garrett Morgan); a mathematical genius behind the expedition to the moon (Katherine Johnson); and the youngest person to become a barrister in the UK (Gabrielle Turnquest – she was just 18) and other successful Black people. No one should have to be exceptional in order to be appreciated, but while Black history remains largely ignored in the school curriculum, presenting Black role models counterbalances the often negative stereotypes of the media with stories of hope and inspiration.