HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF BLACK LIVES MATTER MOVEMENT.

Abstract

Thank you for your editorial.1 I believe that some recognition of the historical context of the Black Lives Matter movement is essential to understand where it is going. It began as a major upsurge in conflict over 500 years ago with invasion and imported slavery by European white people colonising ‘new lands’. There have been landmarks advances, over time, with partial abolition of slavery, with legislated equal citizenship rights and with some benefits from civil rights movements, but Indigenous and African American peoples were seen as inferior, 500 years ago, and essentially continue to be seen and treated as inferior by a substantial proportion of white people. Living white Australians mostly live in cities, know no Indigenous people and until very recently were taught an essentially false, white-washed version of colonial history, completely omitting genocide. There was often an undertone that Indigenous people were a self-destructive, dying race. As children we older Australians ‘played Cowboys and Indians’, inspired by Hollywood, entirely ignorant of the murder of millions of native Americans. Equally, we were taught largely false versions of British colonisation everywhere it occurred, gently converting and civilising the heathens, and benefiting them in all ways. Ingrained early teaching and attitudes in white people are usually indelible and probably the biggest obstacles to progress. I applaud your call for change. So far most of the ‘progress’ in attitudes to Indigenous people in Australia has been lip-service rather than true respect. While more white Australians now believe Black Lives Matter, continuing progress will heavily depend on increasing black activism as well as increasing white education and acceptance. I believe the Black Lives Matter movement is now unstoppable, in the continuing evolution towards acceptance that all of us are equal.