Scratchylus says it’s critical to teach black history to youth
February is celebrated as Black History Month in the United States. Blacks in the United Kingdom (UK) observe similar activities in October.
Four months ago, singjay Scratchylus conducted a university tour of the UK to salute the Windrush Generation — black people from the Caribbean who arrived in that country in 1948 aboard the Empire Windrush.
“The university tour was well-received by the students. The Windrush song was especially celebrated in Leicester and Nottingham. It is very important for the younger generation to understand what their forefathers and foremothers had to go through in the UK, such as racism and denial of jobs and housing, and after all the work they did there was no gratitude,” Scratchylus told Observer Online.
The “Windrush song” he refers to is Windrush Generation, produced by Sheldon “Calibud” Stewart and released last year when the 75th anniversary of the Empire Windrush’s arrival at Tilbury Docks in Essex was officially acknowledged by the British government.
Scratchylus, whose parents migrated to the UK from Jamaica in the early 1960s, was born and raised in Harlesden, west London, an area with a massive West Indian population.
Last October, he performed at Goldsmith’s, University of London, Brookes University at Oxford University, Sussex University, Leicester University, Nottingham University, St Andrew’s University in Scotland and Bristol University.
He stressed the importance of young Britons hearing about the movement that helped diversify their country.
“Justice must be seen and done,” said Scratchylus, who has visited Jamaica numerous times to record artistes such as Kiddus I and Bushman and musicians including guitarist Earl “Chinna” Smith.
– Howard Campbell
