History

“Fly With Me” Documentary

At a time when single women were unable to order a drink or eat alone in a restaurant, forbidden to own a credit card or get a prescription for birth control, becoming a stewardess offered unheard-of opportunity and adventure. Maligned as feminist sellouts, “stewardesses,” as they were called, knew different: they were on the frontlines of a battle to assert gender equality and transform the workplace. Featuring firsthand accounts, personal stories, and a rich archive, FLY WITH ME tells the story of the pioneering women who changed the world while flying it.

You should also check out the excellent book, Come Fly The World.

 

Mutaburuka on Empire and Reparations

The death of Queen Elizabeth has renewed discussions about the British Empire’s connections to slavery, imperialism, and reparations.  I watched MSNBC the Saturday after the Queen’s death when a reporter interviewed legendary poet Mutaburuka.  He said he didn’t mourn the Queen’s death because she never came out against the brutality her colonial subjects suffered during her reign.  It was refreshing to see him on mainstream American TV.  I met Mutaburuka many years ago at Fi Wi Singting, an art and music festival in Jamaica.  He’s amazing, smart, and speaks his mind, especially when it comes to Jamaica’s colonial history.

Check out this interview he did recently on Democracy Now!

Time To Cancel The Empire

“There is no British history without the history of the empire.”

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are visiting some Caribbean nations this week, and there is a lot of resistance to their visit, especially in Jamaica.  There were protests yesterday, demanding reparations from the British government for its role in the transatlantic slave trade.  Some Jamaican politicians are in the process of removing Queen Elizabeth as the head of state.

Of course, there is also hostility from the African diaspora to the alleged racist treatment Meghan Markle has received from the British Royal Family.

“Jamaicans don’t want the Queen… If Harry [was coming], people would react different. People would go and meet Harry. But William, nobody wants to see that” – Beenie Man on Prince William and Kate’s Tour of Jamaica.

Another issue is the treatment of Windrush descendants – Jamaicans who came to Britain legally before 1973 and are now being deported back to the island.

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