We cannot overlook Black Christians in the fight for racial justice

This Black History Month is one like no other. For a start, it’s taking place in the midst of an unprecedented pandemic that, for those of us from Black communities, extremely personal. The pandemic has shone a light on the disparities that many Black, Asian and minority ethnic people face and how these inequalities can have deadly consequences. As people of colour, we’re more likely to die from the virus due to overcrowded accommodation, frontline working roles, lack of appropriate PPE, and barriers to healthcare that are often linked to our race.

This Black History Month also follows large scale protests across the country. The murder of George Floyd in Minnesota reignited a discussion that should never have slipped off our radar: does our society deem Black people to be as valued, cherished and worthy as white people?

In the UK, as well as in the US, the Black Christian community has been at the forefront of championing the equality and sanctity of Black lives.

This is not new territory for them. The impact of Black Christians in the broader struggle for equality cannot be underplayed. From the first generation of migrants from the Commonwealth, some of whom were my own family members arriving on HMT Empire Windrush, to Black church leaders like Ben Lindsay in my own borough of Lewisham, Black Christian voices have set a determined but respectful lead for the movement.

This summer, a coalition of Black Christians marched peacefully, gathered safely, called for justice and stood defiantly against intolerance. Ministers of colour led their congregations in praise and protest. Former Archbishop of York John Sentamu was one of the leading voices in the public square supporting the Black Lives Matter movement – regretting he was not able to join the protests in person. While not condoning the violent aspects of some of the protests, Sentamu made clear that the activism of this summer was a necessary part of the Biblical call for social justice.

Sentamu himself has been closer than many to the brutality that structural racism causes in our country. In the 1990s he was a key advisor to the McPherson Inquiry, which investigated the murder of teenager Stephen Lawrence. He later chaired the investigation into the police response to the killing of Damilola Taylor, another young Black life lost to racist violence.  

It is in part Sentamu’s enormous public service in the area of racial justice – not just spiritual leadership – that provoked shock at the recent news that he would not receive the customary peerage usually given to retiring archbishops. While we welcome the reversal of that decision, Dr Sentamu has had to wait five months for an honour usually awarded immediately.  

The delay and indecisiveness of No 10 towards Britain’s first and only Black archbishop – particularly during Black History Month – created an atmosphere of division. In the broader context of Black British people being “othered”, treated as alien to British culture and the conventions that come with that, a collective sense of numbness can take over. We feel pushed to the side and powerless to stop it. A deep sense of injustice flows through my community, and seeing our government change a historic precedent for such a trailblazing, pioneering Black man felt personal and political.

The Labour Party is proud to be championing Black History Month, while using this time to make clear that the contributions of Black people, our communities and our cultures, must be celebrated all year round. That’s why we’re calling for a curriculum that educates all children in Black history and how it fits into British history. That’s also why we have been calling for a race equality strategy to reduce the structural inequalities faced by Black, Asian and minority ethnic people in Britain. We need to fundamentally change the system and institutions where racial disparities thrive, and Labour will continue to call out racist policies whenever we can.

As a woman of Afro-Caribbean and Indian mixed heritage, and a Christian myself, I’m determined to make sure this community’s voice is heard loud and clear. Racism runs counter to everything written in the scriptures. Christians know that we were all created equally in God’s image, and God sees no difference between race, sex, or any type of status.

Regardless of political recognition, Black Christian communities will continue to have deep values of justice and equality – I have no doubt of that. Those beliefs transcend any movement or moment, any month of the year and any government leading us.

But we need our allies to share the burden. Christian or otherwise, add your voice to ours. Stand with us. Fight vocally against racism whenever you see it. And most importantly, recognise this not just as a movement for Black people, but our collective cause and responsibility. The only way for our society to become truly strong and progressive is to make racial integration not just a discussion, but a reality.

Janet Daby is a Labour MP for Lewisham East and shadow minister for faith, women and equalities