Black Germany during the ‘golden twenties’

There is a wealth of literature arguing for the importance of accommodating a wide range of perspectives and experiences in school history curricula. Many have contended that it is crucial to include the stories of those traditionally omitted from historical records in order to teach history well. Others have emphasised the importance of incorporating diverse experiences to ensure that we do not inadvertently teach young people that there is a hierarchy of ‘significant’ history, bound up with factors relating to gender or race. Lockyer and Tazzyman, for example, have worked with teachers to find ways to integrate multiple narratives about the lives of ordinary women into mainstream history curricula. Their approach focuses on filling in the gaps in existing curricula in order to take account of the rich and varied experiences of women. Similarly, Snelson and Lingard show how a range of perspectives can be embedded into conventional historical narratives through ‘slotting in’ stories of marginalised groups...