I read with interest the experiences of @Nay_Landell in her educational journey and thought I might share my early (very early) experiences for my 2nd day for #ShowMeTellMe for @BlackInArtsHums

My previous post detailed my PhD study on neocolonialism in children’s fiction, and don't want to go backwards, talk about systemic racism in my early education, but as journey from childhood to academia largely positive I feel it might be relevant

Born in Portsmouth, seaside town, south of England, late 1960s. Started school 1972, NOT a great start. Only black child in infants, placed on ‘remedial’ table with what we would now call special needs children, not taught to read.

Racist abuse regularly received ignored, including beatings and racial slurs from pupils. TBH, racist abuse daily occurrence, so not a great surprise, but hurt more from my classmates for some reason

School I attended avoided teaching me to read, presumably considered ‘lost cause’, they made mistake of positioning me on the remedial table facing the blackboard so I surreptitiously participated in the lessons

Collection of Dr Seuss books added to learning. Could read independently by time I was 6 (like eldest daughter), supplemented with comics The Beano and The Dandy with 5p/week pocket money from a relative of foster parents (5p went long way in the early 1970s)

My passion for reading and children's literature started here, and has ended up with a PhD studentship, despite the malevolent interventions of the education system in Portsmouth.