Black History Month Full Events List

4th -29th Oct (Hatfield)

Black History Month is a time for us all to pause, reflect, learn, and to broaden our understanding and challenge our knowledge and beliefs around black history and culture.

Diversity Festival

Sat & Sun 30 – 31 Oct 2021 | 10am (Borehamwood)

A 2 Day fun-filled weekend to bring communities together to celebrate Diversity. The weekend includes great music workshops, food, pop concert by cartoon band Soul Jump and lots more. Book your tickets now to avoid disappointment!

From Windrush to North Herts. – A new life in a new country

Sun 31 Oct 2021 | 11:00 am – 3:00 pm (Hitchin)

This exhibition shows photographs dating from the 1950s and 1960s of some of the Caribbean families who made their home in North Hertfordshire, particularly Letchworth and Hitchin.  A book in which the photographs appear, North Herts African Caribbean Roots by Eric Blakeley and Gurdev Delay, will be on sale throughout the exhibition.

The exhibition in The Arches, part of the upstairs Terrace Gallery.

Herts Jazz Festival 2021: Winston Clifford

Sun 17 Oct 2021 | 4:50pm (Bishops Stortford)

Winston Clifford is one of Britain’s leading jazz drummers. Since studying with ex-Tubby Hayes drummer Bill Eyden and with Trevor Tomkins at the Guildhall School of Music, he has gone on to play with many musicians including Courtney Pine, Bheki Mseleku, Jason Rebello, Gary Husband, Peter King, Dick Heckstall-Smith, Iain Ballamy, Ronnie Scott Band, Julian Joseph, Andy Sheppard, Jean Toussaint Band, Slim Gaillard, Bobby Watson, Monty Alexander, Gary Bartz, Art Farmer, Archie Shepp, Joey Calderazzo and Freddie Hubbard.

Herts Carnival

Fri 29 Oct 2021 | 1pm – 7pm

A Celebration of carnival culture. Students, black-owned businesses, musicians, lecturers & staff come together to celebrate the carnival spirit with live steel drums, dancers, DJ’s and food!

Line up of the activities and food vendors menus on the day is yet to be confirmed. 

When will tickets be on sale? 

Tickets will be on sale ASAP please keep an eye our Instagram to see the ticket launch, 

Black History Month 2021 – Proud To Be…Local Primary Schools Art Competition

Exhibition Mon 4- Sun 31 Oct 2021 (Welwyn Garden City)

As part of the council’s Black History Month (BHM) celebrations this October, local primary schools are entering an exciting art competition with the winning work set to be displayed at the Howard Centre in Welwyn Garden City.

Literature Matters – RSL 200: David Harewood in conversation with Gary Younge

Mon 18 Oct 2021, 19:30 – 20:45 (Online & London £10)

An exploration of race, identity, breakdown and recovery

Join actor and writer David Harewood and Gary Younge in Black History Month ,as they discuss the themes of David’s new book Maybe I Don’t Belong Here, a deeply personal exploration of the duality of growing up both Black and British, and of recovery from crisis. This event stages a rallying cry to examine the systems and biases that continue to shape our society.

Tickets may be booked either to attend in person, or to watch on our platform (online) either live or within 48 hours on catch up. 

Black Owned Hackney Market

Sat 16 & Sun 17 Oct 2021 | 11am – 6pm (London – Free)

Black Owned Hackney returns in October to celebrate Black History Month in collaboration with Black Eats LDN!

Catch us opposite Hackney Central station showcasing London’s best black-owned eats, artisan traders and many more black-owned businesses!

Teaching Black History as British History | 6-Week Course

Sat 2 Oct – Sat 4 Dec 2021 (Online)

This Short Course helps history teachers develop their subject knowledge and enhance their professional and academic standing in the delivery of robust and diverse history teaching and curriculum design.

Educators will be given the knowledge and skills they need to confidently integrate Black British historical narratives into curriculum design. We hope that graduates of this course will go on to make major contributions to curriculum development in their schools as well as on a national and international level.

The short course can be taken as a standalone course or as part of the Foundation Certificate in Teaching Black History in Schools.

An evening with Nova Reid: writer, TED speaker and anti-racism activist.

Tue 12 Oct 2021 | 5:30pm – 7:30pm ( London – Free)

Join us as we discuss ally-ship, anti-racism, well-being, a guide to unintentional microaggressions and how boundaries and self-care are essential to anti-racism change.

This in person event is in celebration of Nova’s new book, How To Be A Good Ally.

Often described as a force to be reckoned with, Nova Reid is an Activist, TED speaker and author, with a mission to improve racial justice, helping people be the change they want to see by courageously unlearning their racism.

46 Podcasts About The Black British Experience & Race In The UK – by Charlie Mock

Change begins by looking closer to home, listening to the Black stories in our communities and standing for progress and inclusivity where we live.

Black Women Business Talks

Tue 26 Oct 2021 | 6pm – 9.30pm (London | Show entry £26.50)

The Black Women Business Talks will offer Black women a space to learn effective growth strategies for business development and career success. With interactive talks and group discussions led by stand-out business women and senior leaders, this event will offer you practical advice and insights on how to be your best authentic self as a Black woman in industry, lead in whatever capacity you find yourself in and create success on your own terms.

Black Men Business Talks

Tue 26 Oct 2021 | 6pm – 9.30pm (London | Show entry £26.50)

The Black Men Business Talks will offer Black men a space to learn effective growth strategies for business development and career success. With interactive talks and group discussions led by stand-out business men and senior leaders, this event will offer you practical advice and insights on how to be your best authentic self as a Black man in industry, lead in whatever capacity you find yourself in and create success on your own terms. This is one you do not want to miss. There will be a chance to network with speakers, business leaders and industry professionals, following the event.

The Hidden History of Africa Before the Slave Trade

Sat 9 Oct 2021 | 7pm – 9pm (Online £7)

A visually stunning presentation that addresses one key question: What history do Black people have before the slave trade started? This lecture discusses the Empire of Mali, the Yoruba Kingdoms, Medieval Sudan, Medieval Ethiopia and the East African Coast. 

Pilots and Soldiers of the Caribbean: Fighting Men of the Caribbean

Sun 17 Oct 2021 | 3pm – 5pm (Online £5)

In this webinar, Maureen Dickson will explore and showcase the personal accounts of Veteran’s experiences, showing another side of what was going on during the war, not only in Europe, or the field of battle but in the West Indies. At the event, we will also launch the new book ‘Pilots and Soldiers of the Caribbean: Fighting Men of the Caribbean’ by Maureen M. Dickson.

VIRTUAL Black History Children Workshop: Marie van Brittan Brown

10 Oct 2021 | 12pm – 1pm (Online £5)

‘Black Inventors & Pioneers’ children workshops led by Charmaine Simpson of Black History Studies.

These workshops will inspire young people to learn about great inventors who contributions to technology have contributed to World History and made our daily lives easier or safer!

VIRTUAL Black History Children Workshop: Bessie Coleman

‘Black Inventors & Pioneers’ children workshops led by Charmaine Simpson of Black History Studies.

17 Oct 2021 | 12pm – 1pm (Online £5)

These workshops will inspire young people to learn about great inventors who contributions to technology have contributed to World History and made our daily lives easier or safer!

SOWING ROOTS: CARIBBEAN GARDEN HERITAGE IN SOUTH LONDON

Mon 25 Oct 2021 – 20 Feb 2022 (London Exhibition)

The Garden Museum is embarking on a first of its kind journey into the history of the gardening cultures and traditions that Caribbean people carried with them when they moved to the UK after World War II: from breadfruit, provision grounds, and botanical gardens, to chocho, ackee and the green spaces of South London.

How did the horticultural knowledge and traditions of the Windrush generation shape their experiences of migration and community building in the UK? What plants and foods did Caribbean migrants grow – and where? How do their stories enrich our understanding of the power and joy of gardening?