This Black History Month, we are honouring the late Benjamin Zephaniah, an icon, friend and teacher. Through his teaching, activism and literary works, Benjamin has consistently reclaimed narratives of the Black community, challenged stereotypes regarding Blackness and masculinity and inspired a generation of young adults to take control of their own stories. Benjamin wrote many of his poems in patois, challenging the linguistic hierarchies that often devalue the dialects of the diaspora and the Black British community (e.g. patois and pidgin). His use of patois not only helped reclaimed the narratives regarding respectability politics and the “Queen’s English” but helped to authentically depict the lived experience of Caribbean Black British experience and subvert societal expectations about whose stories and whose languages deserve to be heard.
Long before the tragic cases of Olaseni Lewis, Oluwashijibomi Lapite, Smiley Culture, and Chris Kaba, Benjamin Zephaniah was documenting the Black community’s experience of police brutality and institutional racism. Through powerful poems like “The Death of Joy Gardner” and “Dis Policeman Keeps on Kicking Me to Death,” Zephaniah exposed the deeply ingrained racist practices within law enforcement that fostered a culture of fear and distrust within the Black community. His words articulated the Black community’s experiences with the police, serving as a corrective narrative long before the age of social media, when such stories often went unheard or misrepresented. In City Psalms, Zephaniah explored the experiences of the Windrush community and the resilience of Black communities in Britain. His poems like “Rong Radio Station” challenged the mainstream media's portrayal of Black culture, centring the strength, and beauty of the Caribbean and Black British identity.
Throughout his career Benjamin Zephaniah challenged the notions of masculinity, specifically the narratives surrounding Black masculinity. Society has constantly tried to synonymise Black masculinity with aggression and toughness. His poem “Man to Man” provided an alternative narrative for Black men and created a space for vulnerability, creativity and compassion. Zephaniah’s approach to masculinity encouraged young men to reject archaic societal norms regarding masculinity and explore their own version masculinity without fear of judgment. Through poems like “Masculinity,” he challenges the toxic aspects of masculinity, encouraging men to embrace a full range of emotions and self-expression.
As a lecturer in Poetry and Creative Writing, he encouraged us to challenge harmful stereotypes, speak truth to power and embrace our unique identities. Through his words, his activism, and his life, Benjamin Zephaniah continues to inspire a generation to reclaim narratives, rewrite history, and push for a more just and inclusive world. We can transform not only our individual lives but also the communities around us.
We are pleased to announce the first Benjamin Zephaniah Day will be held on 12 April 2025. To find out more about the day visit here.