Open accessibilty tools

Black and Asian Soldiers

This hugely comprehensive set of films and teaching resources tackle critical issues around colonialism and racism through a sensitive and age-appropriate focus on the contribution of Black and Asian Soldiers in World War I and II.

These resources have been developed for Key Stage 2 students by local anti-racism educator Marsha Garratt. They will be most useful for students in Year 5 and 6. However teachers in lower KS 2 or KS 1 may find the contents useful for their own knowledge and be able to use elements in their teaching. All the resources are FREE to teachers.

Tees Valley Museums are committed to Black and Asian history as British History. Our collections are limited in this, in common with many other UK museums. Our workshops and resources for schools usually seek to ‘localise’ our history – to make it as relevant and meaningful as possible to children living here. Wherever possible Marsha’s presentations make local links, but to provide this more complete history, we have included stories from around Britain in this pack.

We envisage this pack being used as part of a wider topic, to avoid being tokenistic. Ideally we would like to welcome your class to one of our museums to engage with our World War I or World War II objects. Whilst these Arts Award resources are FREE, visit costs vary by partner museum. You can contact each partner to find to more on our workshops page here.

What do teachers get?

Alongside the presentations, films and activity ideas that you can download from our website, we will provide you with a loans box and laminated images to use in the classroom. You will also get a class set of bespoke printed Arts Award logbooks that students can keep once they’ve been completed and assessed. Tees Valley Museums may be able to help you with the cost of official Arts Award Discover certificates, so please talk to us. Please also mention if you would like to involve more than one class. All of our materials are FREE.

Contact Liz Vine for more information or to access the Black and Asian Soldiers in World War I and II Arts Award pack.

What’s in the resource?

The presentations within this resource look at the contribution of Black and Asian soldiers during World War I and II using art pieces. Topics covered through this presentation include:

  • British Colonialism
  • Racism
  • Anti-racism
  • Black and Asian history as British History

There is a general introduction to the big ideas and then a series of films to choose between depending on the age of your students and how much time you have to spend on the topic. These films cover:

  • South East Asian soldiers in World War I – the Sikh Regiment
  • John Richard Arthur in World War I– the UK’s first Black mayor
  • Black and Asian soldiers in World War II – including case studies of women in World War II – Lilian Bader and Kalyani Sen
  • Portraits of Black and Asian soldiers in both World Wars

Whether you just study one of the examples or all four, students will have plenty of relevant knowledge to be able to achieve their Arts Award Discover.

Interested? Contact Liz Vine (Elizabeth.Vine@redcar-cleveland.gov.uk) for more information or to be given access to the Black and Asian Soldiers in World War I and II Arts Award pack.

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