Whilst I am sympathetic to the overall aim of this, things like this:
She would have expected people to name figures such as Quintus Lollius Urbicus, who became governor of Roman Britain
…do stand out as being a a bit unrealisitic. I mean, how many governors of Roman Britain of any race or nationality can the typical Briton actually name? I’d be surprised if it was more than 1 and probably less than that.
And if the expectation is that anyone would know of this guy only because his chief contribution to history is “being black” then I am not sure what we are gaining here.
She would have expected people to name figures such as Quintus Lollius Urbicus, who became governor of Roman Britain
Look, I know everyone in Britain is required to know the names and dates of all the monarchs going back to the 9th century, but expecting everyone to be able to come up with that name when put on the spot is going a little too far.
I wouldn’t really think of Roman governors of Britain as a “British historical figure”, more like a “Roman historical figure who happened to be stationed in Britain”, same as with modern diplomats or military leaders.
Also, is it even confirmed he was black? I mean Algerian people are not exactly black. Could be wrong though. Don’t know if there are any ancient scripts describing him.
Yeah you’ll see this a lot with Roman history anyone who lived on the continent of Africa has to be black. It’s a way of oddly, well I guess whitewashing isn’t the exact right term I’m looking for, but oversimplifying I guess history? I’ve taken the Nuance out of things. Also of diminishing other North African cultures.
It’s not just Roman history. It happened recently with the Cleopatra show. Some people can’t get their head around the idea that not all Africans are black.
This isn’t just a race issue, how many historical figures in general can people name?
I’d gamble that 7% of British people think Winston Churchill signed the Magna Carta at the end of the first world war, and I include former prime ministers in that.
Read the title of the thread. While half of Britons can’t name a black historical figure, I bet 99% of Americans can name a Black British historical figure either. I sure can’t.
Ugh George Washington Carver is known by a LOT OF people. Not to mention we have days dedicated to some of the greatest historical black Americans, Martin Luther King Jr for instance. But outside of that nearly every American knows a decent amount.
Even the hateful useless Americans know President Barack Obama.
Others of note when I asked several friends at work (blue collar average Joes and Jills, hotel maintenance):
Booker T Washington Rosa Parks Harriet Tubman Jackie Robinson Malcolm X Hattie McDaniel Fredrick Douglass Oprah Winfrey (yeah I don’t know if this counts but I included it)
Out of the 15 or so people I asked all of them said Obama and MLK Jr.
Lots of Americans know Crispis Attucks, he’s covered in history class. They may not associate him with britian but he was shot years before the revolution so he was a British subject.
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