BLACK HISTORY MONTH PROFILE: Dr ROBERT BECKFORD

Those who have seen provocatively titled documentaries such as God is Black, and The Empire Pays Back will have been struck by the dynamic presenter, Dr Robert Beckford.
Dr Beckford- who modestly  describes himself as  an ‘unfit, nearly middle aged, boring theologian from Coventry’, is at Birmingham University in the department of American & Canadian studies. He is the Co-ordinator of Diasporan Studies there. A religious-cultural critic,  teaching the religions and cultures of the African Diaspora, he is a documentary maker, has a radio programme each week on   BBC West  Midlands,  and has written a number of books.

We caught up with him via Email to talk about his work, his roots, and his interest in Black history.
His interest in history goes way back. “ As an African Caribbean man, born in Britain, studying black history is important to me for at least three reasons.  Firstly, it provides a sense of perspective.  Having an awareness of the past helps us to make sense of the present.  For instance, being aware of the centrality of education in ancient African culture and also the role of education in the anti-colonial struggles in the Caribbean and Africa provides an important contrast to the present struggle of African Caribbean kids in School.”
 He also makes a distinction between history and myth. “Secondly, studying black history ensures that we distinguish between history and myth.  History is our reflection on the past from our present place in time.  Myth is not historically true, but full of meaning. “
And he has an answer for those who may think history is not useful in modern day living “Finally, the study of history is important because history is not only about the past; it is also about the future.”
His background has led him to champion ….and to address issues important to African peoples as regards faith, culture and access to education.
I asked him- how did he come to the Pentecostal faith?
“My parents were really Pentecostal in their faith, despite the churches they attended.  I got into it (the Pentecostal faith) in a big way after finishing my first degree.  I realised that the Western origins of the tradition, in LA in 1906 was a black-led, multi-cultural faith tradition based on anti-sexist, classist and racist beliefs.  They understood that the power of the Spirit must break down oppressive barriers both inside and outside of the church.” 
Friendly and engaging as he comes across, Dr Beckford is a determined man. I say this because he has a commitment to making the academic world accessible to the African Caribbean community, and particularly those most excluded from the education system, black males.

Another example of his determination is the fact that it took years of submitting ideas to eventually get to do documentaries on television.“ I got into TV because I was disappointed with the negative racialised images of black people in general and black men in particular. I've been pitching ideas for five years and set out to provide an alternative image of African Caribbean men on TV, who could engaging in issues with intelligence and edge.  Outside of Channel 4, there is very little space on TV for people like me.  I did not win a gold medal at the Olympics, play football for a premiership club or sing in a boy-band.   So in the neo-colonial minds of some media managers, I am not really 'black or talented.'  “
Quite.
Once he managed to get a chance to make documentaries, he didn’t find the actual making of them hard, its getting the ideas to the table that he feels is the real effort. He praises a brilliant Commissioning Editor, at Channel 4,  Aaquil Ahmed who has been receptive to those ideas.
Robert Beckford has found a way to marry his academic work with his roots- religious, cultural and linguistic. Anyone who has seen him on Channel 4 will be aware that he wears dreadlocks, of which he has this to say:
“ 'Dread' for me is an existential condition; an awareness of blackness (the complex and sometimes contradictory histories, cultures and values that constitute continental and diasporan African life)…. I use it in my work as a symbol of divine activity - what we call an ontological symbol.  It basically means that when I say 'Jesus is Dread,' I am referring to the work of Jesus in the world as that of giving power, freedom and up-lift-ment to the oppressed.  For me dread-locks are a cultural identification.  I am a 'cultural dread' in that I believe in some Rastafarian aesthetics but have a black Christian political view of the bible. “
His use of language too, in academic books and papers, reflects his roots (and political perspectives)-sometimes humorously. Titles such as From West Africa to the West Midlands,  DoingBlack Theology in the UKKK, Jesus is Dread and God of the Rahtid (yep, I kid you not, that is an actual title from one of his books) are outside the normally dry phrases one would expect of someone doing theology.
“I'm keen to re-capture the dynamics of black language, including derivation (rahtid from wrath) and the use of metaphor (dread = power and freedom). I think there are wonderful and beautiful things in Caribbean tongues that is vital to our striving and thriving.  Theologically speaking, language helps us to capture a sense of the divine and I want to use black language and style to explore how we understand who God is, through our history, culture and experience. After all, European theologians have been doing it for nearly 2000 years!”
And, rather ambitiously, he is trying to bring together aspects of popular, secular culture-such as dancehall- with  religious practice –the black church, via projects such as  the Jesus Dub Faith and Social Change Project. The idea, I think is not to be trendy, but to further his aim to, as he puts it  use(ing) ideas to engage in social change. Showing community connections rather than fragmentations.
“Re Jesus Dub, I wanted to find a more honest connection between the reggae-dancehall and the black church hall.  After all, there is a long tradition of people raving on Saturday night and then going to church on Sunday morning!  Using 'sound' as the point of connection, I use dub technique as a way of re-thinking aspects of Christianity.  Dub is an act of taking apart and putting-together inspired by a particular ideology or belief system.  I set out to dub the church, that is taking it apart and put it back together so that it has a  particular meaning and resonance for today.  I also explore how Jesus was a dubbist  - how he takes apart and puts back together under the influence of liberating power of the Holy Spirit.  The book will be out at Christmas, published by Routledge (Jesus Dub: Faith, music and social change)”
As I observed earlier, a determined man.
Asked who Black History month was for, and how he became aware of it he had this to say:
“Malcolm X said that everyone should study black history as an antidote to racism(s).  So I believe its for everyone.  I studied in the USA in the mid 80s, where it is a major event. “
And its purpose?
“..Studying black history ensures that we distinguish between history and myth.  Myth is not historically true, but full of meaning.  Occasionally, we confuse the two, so that what really happened becomes myth, and what never happened is presented as history.  Take for example the emphasis on the great black men of black history.  In reality, there are just as many dynamic black women who have been involved in transforming the world as black men. History is our reflection on the past from our present place in time.  As Bob Marley says in “Buffalo Soldier,” and Maya Angelou in her classic womanist poem, “Still I Rise,” knowledge of the past, provides important memories and survival skills that should fill us with joy and hope for the future.  When I read about the intellectual brilliance of C. L R James, the political activism of Claudia Jones, the religious commitment of Sam Sharpe or the suffering and sacrifice of Winnie Mandela when her husband was imprisoned, I am inspired to be a better person and to build a better world.”
Unfit, nearly middle aged, boring theologian? Nah.

Marsha Prescod