Northern Lights: Blessed in many ways that Sheffield is enriched having a diverse population

Trams run along Attercliffe Road, Sheffield, in the 1950s

I’ve been dealing with a range of high-profile bodies, associations and authorities in the area, not only excusing but in effect authorising their staff, directors and others in influential positions to call Black people ‘Coloured/Coloureds’ and refusing to accept how offensive and discriminatory the descriptor and its centuries of history is to Black people and communities.

The term ‘Coloured/Coloureds’ here in the UK is regarded as a highly offensive slur, recalling when casual and systemic racism was part of everyday life, including here in Sheffield.

As one member of the Black-Caribbean community shared with the Star in 1958 arising from her husband being labelled ‘Coloured’:Newspaper “My husband and friends went out to a pub in Attercliffe and called for a drink.

They took back the glasses and saw the bar manager break all four glasses. They didn’t say nothing.

When they returned their glasses after the second drink the same happened. After the third drink they broke their own glasses and threw them in the bin and the manager called the police.

The policeman says: ‘you better go and find yourself another pub’.”

Headlines and the lived stories such as those above provide evidence of just why using the descriptors ‘Coloured/Coloureds’ was so deeply offensive in the past and why it continues to be so now, in our twenty-first century.

Its not so long ago that Greg Clarke resigned as chairman of the Football Association after using the same offensive language about Black players.

The FA boss had used the term "coloured footballers" as he spoke to MPs about diversity and racial abuse against Black players.

He apologised and hours later, he quit his role.

Others however, in sport and other fields, including those holding positions of power and influence, have continued the deployment of the deeply offensive term, even when advised that it is unacceptable and offensive.

The adverse impact upon Black people, is not given any genuine or fair care nor due regard, with assertions being made by these bodies and their representatives, that it is acceptable for older people to call Black people ‘Coloured/Coloureds’ but it’s not acceptable for younger people to do so.

The ‘excuse’ being that for ‘older people’ , apparently, it’s just, a ‘generational thing’ and not at all harmful nor discriminatory towards Black people.

These older people being ‘people around 40 years plus in age, it was stated to me in one instance.

You couldn’t make it up, could you?

It is evident, to any reasonable and decent minded person, that the apologists for and upholders of racism, know that calling Black people in sport and other field’s - ‘Coloured/ Coloureds’ - is wrong but these apologists and upholders of racism, actively choose to ignore this.

If it’s not acceptable for those born in 1983 onwards to use the offensive descriptors – ‘Coloured/ Coloureds’, then it should be unacceptable for all to do so, including those born in 1982 and before this also.

In the USA, ‘Coloured’ is among the most offensive words for describing a Black person, arising from that country’s era impositions of racial segregation and racial discrimination, with Black people being kept separate from White people on buses, in schools and at drinking fountains which were labelled “For Coloureds’ Only”.

Jim Crow laws pervaded and polluted nearly every aspect of life and it sullies life here in the UK for Black people too.

The Black community members of our Sheffield family have, down generations and right through to this very day made wonderful contributions to our city’s infrastructure, development and social good and are highly valued by every decent minded citizen of Sheffield.

Sheffield is enriched by having a diverse population. We are blessed in many ways that as the Sheffield family, we live together primarily in peace and harmony.

However, challenges to racism are still needed in some areas and given the UK’s own history of racism and discrimination towards Black people and the continuing experiences of anti-Black racism and discrimination now, the terms ‘Coloured/Coloureds’ with all their offensive and discriminatory connotations, history and intent, should be confined once and for all, where they belong in the dustbin of history.

Responsible associations and bodies in our area and those regionally and nationally should not be excusing and authorising the use of these terms/descriptors. Instead they should be condemning them outright by challenging the use of the terms ‘Coloured/ Coloureds’ and modelling anti-racism at every level, whilst also living by the premise that there is no such thing as partial equality only full equality.