Considering pupils’ responses to a new starting point for Black history at Key Stage 3

Influenced by her own experiences, preliminary research, and recent political events, Teni Oladehin sought to thoroughly review how Black history was introduced to her students at Key Stage 3. In particular, she aimed to introduce Black history with an ‘authentic’ narrative which brought Black agency into the foreground. In this article, Oladehin shows how an enquiry on the significance of Mansa Musa both altered her students’ prior misconceptions of African history while also reducing their substantive knowledge deficits regarding precolonial Africa. With such findings, Oladehin argues that such ‘authentic’, diverse stories are of benefit for all pupils...