Dear Warden, Senior Management, and Members of Council,

We, as students of Goldsmith’s MA Black British History (past and present), are writing to express our outrage and deep concern regarding the proposed redundancy of the convenor of the MA, Dr. Kesewa John. Launched in 2020, the MA has been commended for its contribution to U.K. Higher Education, as the first and only course of its kind. Despite the success of this course, Dr. John is not the only convenor of the MA who has received the threat of redundancy. In 2022, the same was done to the course’s first convenor, Dr. Christienna Fryar, who, after her experience, resigned from academia altogether. We are noticing a troubling pattern of mistreatment, instability, and precarity inflicted on Black women at the hands of Goldsmiths’ management. This is simply unacceptable. 

The MA Black British History cannot run or continue to run without two members of staff teaching and delivering it. Since 2020, the MA has been privileged enough to have Dr. Hannah Elias, and any potential plan to have her singlehandedly run the MA in 2024/25 is unfair and unjustifiable. The current plan for the Convenor of the MA Black British History to be made redundant is untenable and would kill the MA Black British History programme and cause irreparable reputational damage for any possible future Black studies programme at Goldsmiths. The student cohort on the MA Black British History has been 80% Black, and 95% Black and minority ethnic, and it works to address disparities in the number of Black and minority ethnic scholars who pursue postgraduate research and academic careers in History. It has also been the site of innovative pedagogy, providing vital education on the history of Black lives in Britain, histories of race and legacies of imperialism, and the vital importance of understanding Black British history to understand the progress and development of British history as a whole. The programme addresses an urgent need identified in the Royal Historical Society's Race, Ethnicity and Equalities report to support the development of students of colour, and to teach and advance understanding of Black British History as a field of study.

The future of the course has never been so unclear, with the likelihood that the MA will cease to exist after this academic year. The loss of this course would be devastating, not just for its associated staff and students, but for every Black British person who has been denied the right to know and appreciate their own history. We, of course, must not forget the importance of knowing these lesser-known elements of British history for everybody. The course has incredible potential, but the poor treatment and instability levelled at staff and students over the last four years has scared prospective students away. The university’s credibility has already been damaged over the events of 2022/23, and by continuing this attack, Goldsmiths’ credibility will be beyond repair. 

In June 2024, The Royal Historical Society reiterated the significance of the MA, stating it is exactly what UK High Education needs to champion. With this endorsement in mind, the attack on the MA and Dr. John is incomprehensible. Furthermore, graduate outcomes have been outstanding, with students going on to gain full scholarships for PhD courses, receiving book deals, and contributing to educational textbooks. Student experience has also been rated exceptional, with high levels of engagement and a strong sense of established community among students, past and present. The MA is proof of Goldsmiths’ commitment to “address institutional barriers to race equality”, as per the university’s Race Justice Strategy. However, the decisions undertaken as part of the ‘Transformation Programme’ implies that these achievements and advancements are not actually important to Goldsmiths, which is immensely troubling.

With this in mind, we are calling upon you all to commit to fulfilling the following objectives:

• To retract Dr. John’s threat of redundancy, and reaffirm her position as convenor of the MA Black British History
• To ensure the continuation of the MA in Black British History, which involves sufficient promotion, active student recruitment, and TWO members of full-time staff.
• To provide bursaries and funding opportunities for prospective students, especially for applicants who identify as Black British

To further prove the importance of the MA, we would like to share some personal testimonials:

Holly Cooper (2022 graduate), 2nd year DPhil History student at the University of Oxford, researcher, and activist

“I would not be where I am today without the MA in Black British History. During my two years on the course, I learned about innovative and radical praxis, the significance of a representative British history, and where I, as a Black Briton, fit in it. Dr. Hannah Elias and Dr. Christienna Fryar gave me the skills, confidence, and knowledge necessary to obtain a full scholarship and place to continue my study at the University of Oxford. I am forever grateful for the MA, and it breaks my heart knowing that it is being mistreated and sabotaged. Everybody deserves the opportunity to study Black British History, and Goldsmiths is robbing us of that”.

Salma Barma (2023 graduate), Secondary school Head of Department, History & contributor to A new focus on...The British Empire, c.1500–present for KS3 History

“The MA in Black British History has let me provide my own pupils with a much richer historical education, and has given me the confidence to challenge received narratives of the past that are exclusionary and, too often, reproduced uncritically in secondary school settings. Throughout my time on the course, Dr Christienna Fryar and Dr Hannah Elias created academic spaces unlike any other I have experienced; any student of mine should have the opportunity to study these histories under the guidance of scholars like them. Goldsmiths’ shortsightedness and failure to properly recognise the value of this course cannot be criticised strongly enough.”

Kaisha Cole (current student)

“This course has enabled me to widen my own knowledge and understanding of Black British History. The significance of teaching and learning about Black History in Britain and what it represents to those who are part of that community and those interested in learning about it are paramount. 

Without this course I wouldn’t have the opportunity to widen my career path and opportunities; Dr Christienna Fryer welcomed an educated safe space for the students to explore Black Britain, engaging with authors, researchers and students who have a mutual interest, understanding and connection with Black British History which hasn’t gone unnoticed. Rather, it has been very refreshing, inspiring and encouraging to be a part of.

This course has had a huge impact on my personal and educational development, I hope the same for the future students and the future of this course. The decision being made to terminate this course is unfortunate and has impacted my studies since I had enrolled."

Please sign this petition to support the students of the MA Black British History in this fight.