Woke row erupts after children's book accused of 'rewriting history' with Stonehenge claim
An image of Brilliant Black British History
Bloomsbury
A woke row has erupted after a children’s book was accused of rewriting British history.
Brilliant Black British History, an illustrated book by the Nigerian-born UK author Atinuke, also claimed “every single British person comes from a migrant” but “the very first Britons were black”.
The popular attraction Stonehenge was identified as a landmark built while Britain was a “black country”.
A number of commentators criticised the book, which is for readers aged seven and over, for its claims.
Former UKIP AM David Kurten said: “This children's book is completely inaccurate. For the record, the British Isles were >99.9% white until 1950.”
Emma Webb, who regularly appears on GB News, wrote: “Anti-historical propaganda.”
Conservative commentator Kathy Gyngell added: “No one objects to children learning but why the hijack?”
Brilliant Black British History, which was published by Bloomsbury and promoted by Arts Council-funded literacy charity The Book Trust, claimed that “Britain was a black country for more than 7,000 years before white people came and during that time the most famous British monument was built, Stonehenge”.
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The sun rises behind the stone circle as people gather to take part in the Summer Solstice at Stonehenge in Wiltshire
PA
It also claimed the so-called Cheddar Man, the oldest human remains found in Britain, had skin as “dark as dark can be”.
However, recent genetic analysis revealed inhabitants during the period Stonehenge was completed were pale-skinned early farmers.
The book, which comes days after Horrible Histories was also criticised, suggested a black Muslim population brought “new knowledge about textiles, medicine, maths and navigation” to early modern Britain.
A page on Black Lives Matter states black people suffer from “institutional racism” even though “race does not scientifically exist”.
Flowers grow around the stone circle at Stonehenge, Wiltshire
PA
Dr Zareer Masani condemned the book as being “typical of the kind of wokedom that’s been colonising our schools and universities.”
He added it was “evidence of brainwashing children with outright lies, confusion and misinformation”.
David Abulafia, a historian and Cambridge emeritus professor, also said: “The Nazis claimed that the cultural achievements of the north were the work of blond, fair-skinned folk.
“Making skin colour a criterion for judging great achievements like Stonehenge is therefore not a new idea.
“It is also rubbish. It only gets interesting if their skins were blue or green.”