When I was asked if I could write an article for Black History Month, I gladly said yes. Little did I know what I was letting myself in for. The topic given to me is so wide, I will only be able to scratch the surface. What made me so willing to take on this gigantic task? The answer if twofold:

Firstly, the struggles I encountered since entering this country from Jamaica in 1966. Secondly, the experiences gained and interest developed in the subject as I worked with the Education Support Service in the Afro-Caribbean Teaching Unit 1986 - 1991.

Women: The Collins English Dictionary, Millennium Edition, defines women as follows

1) An adult female human being

2) Female or feminine

3) Women collectively, womankind

4) A wife, a mistress or girlfriend

Because of my background as a Jamaican and a Christian, I will inevitably, from time to time, refer to my Holy Book, the Bible.

The Holy Bible and woman
Genesis Chapter2 verse 7 states "And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils and man became a living soul'.
Chapter 2 and verse 18 "And the Lord God said, it is not good that the man should be alone, I will make him an help meet for him".
Verses -21 and 22 tells how God took a rib out of Adam and made a woman and brought her unto the man. The name woman was given by Adam because he said, "she was taken out of man".

The place was the Garden of Eden, so Creationists believe, this was paradise until the woman, Eve, sinned. Her husband, in sympathy with her, also disobeyed God by eating the "forbidden fruit". They were both cast out of the Garden of Eden by God. He told the woman that He would greatly multiply her sorrow and her conception, that she would bring forth children in sorrow. Until this day, women are "bringing forth children in sorrow". A man can never really experience the pain of childbirth; this is unique to women who bare children.

The place of women in the family is of great importance with regard to the upkeep of the population. In Genesis, Chapter I verse 28 "God blessed them and said be fruitful, and multiply and replenish the earth". Take note that the command was given to both of them. A child cannot be conceived without sperm from the male, and the woman needs to carry her child for nine months. Children are often born prematurely, thanks to medical advancement, most of them develop into normal boys and girls.

Women is a gift to man and as such, should be loved, respected and treasured. The woman should also love respect and care for her husband. When the children come along. Both parents should be there to care for them, love them and train them, thus enabling them to develop into well balanced men and women, taking their place in society.

The above is speaking of the ideal situation. In today's world, there are so many problems and pressures tearing families apart that one wonders whether the nuclear family can survive.

There is the problem of absentee fathers. Some of the reasons for their absence are very necessary. For example, long distance lorry drivers, long-haul pilots, sailors, soldiers and business and such the like - loneliness can cause one or the other to become unfaithful. Very often this leads to separation and/or divorce.

Then, there are those fathers who don't work, but hardly spend any time at home helping their wife or partner or children. The woman, as a result has the responsibility to keep the house, look after the children, do a job if she is employed, and still look after her man. It's hard work! Please men, if you didn't think of it, your woman needs help with the housework, the children need you to talk with them, and listen to them. Both parents should always communicate, work things out together in good times and in bad times.

Womanhood:
Womanhood by definition is the state, character or collective qualities of a woman. Some of these qualities are Kindness, patience, endurance, strength, physical and emotional caring, ability to forgive. Not all women are mothers, nevertheless, the above qualities enable them to cope with other people's children, for their men folk, parents, sick people and people in all kinds of distress.

The foregone definition for woman applies to almost every mother. I would also like to add that she is a friend, lover, councillor, supervisor, teacher, burden bearer, freedom fighter, nation builder.

Black History:
In nearly every society, women have been considered unequal to men. It is a fact that men have played the leading role in Government, invention, exploration, science, engineering. However, in our modem times more and more women are entering into these fields. In the field of politics, three outstanding women Prime Ministers spring to mind : Margaret Thatcher, Indera Ghandi and Golder M

Black women have held ruling positions over the centuries. There were great Queens of Africa: the Queen of Sheba came to Israel from Africa to see Solomon, the wisest King; Nzingha-Amazon, Queen of Matamba, ruled in West Africa 1582 - 1663. She was an Angolian Queen who was an astute diplomat; Queen Aminia of Zaria, 1558 - 1589 who is generally remembered for the great military exploits. Also Nefertiti who ruled with her husband Akenaton, Pharoah of Egypt 1375 - 1355.

Akenaton was the first ruler in recorded history to believe in the concept of one God. Neferfiti was on of history's most renowned beauties. Together, they changed Egyptian art, religion, music. The written language was expanded for use in storytelling poetry and song.

The Slave Trade began and flourished during the 16'h century under John Hawkins. Countless numbers of Africans were forcibly taken from Africa, packed like sardines into ships to England then across to America and the West Indies. This was known as the Middle Passage. During this time, hundreds of slaves died due to the horrendous condition in which they had to travel. On arrival at their destination, they were stripped, washed, oiled and sold like cattle.

The men were separated from the women and children. The beautiful girls were used as house slaves while to others had to work as slaves on the sugar plantations. It is at this point that womanhood is seen to come into play. The white plantation owners would use house slaves for sexual purposes. If they resisted they were raped. Mothers who dared to complain about the abuse of their daughters were severely punished usually by whipping and placing in chains. Can you imagine the agony of heart of those mothers? However, they did their best to comfort their children when they could steal a chance to do so.

Despite the iron hand, there were those who resisted. One such person was Nanny, of the Maroons. She fought like a man, built up the confidence of her people and she was known as their queen. Until today, in the Island of Jamaica, the Maroons do not pay tax mainly due to Nanny.

Slave Trade in America 17th and 18th Centuries
Most of the European Settlers went to North America as farmers. They settled in the South of the country - Missippippi, Arkansas, Atlanta, Montgomery, Charleston, Jacksonville, New Orleans. The fields were mainly cotton plantations and contained rows of slave cabins called Quartins. They were built close to the overseer's cottage and had mud floors, were not heated and often leaked when it rained.

In 1820, Harriet Tubman was born. She did not like being a slave so she resisted and just waited for a convenient time to escape. One day, a field slave called Jim tried to escape. The overseer saw him and Harriet wanting to help Jim, stood between them. The overseer threw a two pound iron weight at Jim, but it caught Harriet in the centre of her forehead and knocked her unconscious to the ground. She was left with a deep scar and suffered from fainting spells for the rest of her life.

As soon as she recovered, Harriet began working on her rescue plans. She tried to take her brothers with her but they refused to go so she went alone. A Quaker woman, Miss Parsons, directed Harriet to the under Ground Railroad. She travelled 90 miles to the northern state of Pennsylvania. She worked hard and sent money back to her people. She rescued here family and many others from slavery, after the abolition of slavery, Senator William Steward gave her a house and land in New York State to provide herself and her elderly parents with a home. In 1868, a writer called Sarah Bradford persuaded Harriet to tell the story of her adventures. Sarah interviewed Harriet and produced a book called "Scenes from the Life of Harriet Tubman". The book bought her enough money to settle her debts and buy 25 acres of land to produce food for the homeless people to took in.

Afro-Caribbeans in Britain
Following the abolition of slavery in 1838 onwards, the slaves were left to fend for themselves. They were not able to read as education was denied them. They had only the skills they learnt on the plantations and in the houses, but they had to survive. A few landowners were kind to their sons born of the house slaves, and gave them their freedom and an education. One such person was William Gordon, after whom the House of Parliament in Jamaica was named.

Many Jamaicans began to travel to the USA in quest of a better life. After a while, America began to take in fewer and fewer, so many thought of coming to Britain.

When if 1948 the Empire Windrush landed on the shores of Jamaica, taking back soldiers who had fought in World War 11, many islanders came over to Britain in it. This marked the beginning of Jamaican immigration into Britain, and also the beginning of sorrows for many.

Most people came to Britain for five years, to work, study or for other purposes, then to return home. It is the experience of most people, including myself, that they never returned and are still here. This is also true for other immigrants from all over the Caribbean.

For myself, the first impression was one of shock. Everything was so different. Where are the houses? I asked by fianc6 and sister as we travelled from Heathrow to Birmingham. What I saw looked like barracks or factories. There was smoke coming out of chimneys, the houses were joined together in long rows and were mainly made of bricks with little paintwork on them.

The weather was cold. People were wearing boots, scarves, coats and woolly hats. I wasn't used to any of this. However, there was need to settle down as quickly as possible as I was about to be married eleven days after my arrival in Birmingham. Everything was planned before my arrival, and so on the 2nd April 1966, 1 was married to Owen Lynch, who arrived in Birmingham two years earlier.

My first big disappointment was when I tried to get into teaching and was told at the Education Office that I had to go to College for 3 years. The fact that I was a trained teacher in Jamaica, taught infants and juniors for 3 years in Jamaica, didn't matter. It also didn't matter that I had in my possession my Senior Cambridge School Certificate, teacher Training Diploma, GCE Literature, English Language, English Literature, Biology, Religious Education and Geography. These were taken as correspondence courses from Rapid Results College in London during my early days of teaching for my own professional development. The day I was turned down, I cried. That night however, when my husband came home, I told him and he encourage me to go back to the Office and get an Application Form for College. When I went back it was too late to apply for that year. I was then asked if I would like to do some teaching while I waited until the following year. "Yes" I replied with gusto, only to be told it was a temporary unqualified position. However, having been brought up on proverbs in Jamaica, I remember one and quickly applied it. "If yu wan gud ya nose ha fi run". This, in Jamaican creole, means "if you would like good, or to achieve, you have to suffer blood sweat and tears".

Having said yes, I was called to the Office for an interview and sent to Grove Lane School in Handsworth. At that time, November 1966, 90 per cent of the children were Asians and Afro-Caribbean, because while people had withdrawn their children from the school.

I must pause here, to say that my experience was wide spread among the immigrants from the Caribbean, Asia and African across the professions. Great difficulties were experienced in obtaining housing, jobs, childcare, and the list goes on.

Due to the weather, cultural shock, and the distance to travel across the city from Sparkhill to Handsworth, my stay at Grove Lane School was short-lived. I got a transfer to Sommerville Infant School in Small Heath, and worked their until Summer 1968.

In October 1968, 1 went to West Hill College in Selly Oak. This was a College mainly for Mature Students, so they didn't mind when during the course I had two children. Now added to everything else, if was to cope with the problems of childcare, travelling with prams, push chair bag and books, and shopping and the like, and how I was to study at the same time.

This was made possible first of all by the help of the Almighty God in whom I firmly believe. Then a supporting husband, members of my church, which during those days was just a house group, but now is organised - The Birmingham Seventh Day Baptist Church. Tutors at West Hill Were very good to me and I made many friends. Due to ill health, difficulties in getting children into a nursery at one stage I had to take a year off College. However, I graduated in 1971 and worked in Birmingham Schools for twenty-three years.

Let me conclude by saying, there were struggles, racism, difficulties of various sorts. However, I enjoyed my work with the children, teachers and parents, and would not change my experience for anything. As a woman, a wife and a mother I have had to exercise those qualities mentioned earlier. Many women have suffered and suffering but they remain strong. They show love where there is hatred, peace where there is discord, compassion where there is great need and distress.

Let me appeal to our men folk to rediscover the woman you are sharing your life with. Love and respect her, protect her and honour here, and the women do the same. Love begets love, it is a process of induction.

In the Book of I Kings 3 verse 26, we are told "a mother's love is stronger than steel No force on earth can sever it' We will not be able to wipe out completely the evils of this world, but we can do our part just where we are.

"Be not overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good"

Jossette Lynch Retired Headteacher, Birmingham

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Icilda Buckley said:

Three cheers for the strenght of womankind. We can learn a lot from the likes of Harriet Tubman, and Maya Angelou

October 04, 2006

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