Black History Month 2025
- Takes place from 1 - 31 October 2025
- This year's theme is 'Standing Firm in Power and Pride'
Why is Black History Month important?
- Studies reveal that 60% of Black professionals still experience racism in the workplace.
- A key motivator behind Black History Month is to how people contribute to society.
- It has been reported that 25% of people find that assumptions are made about their abilities, character or behaviour due to their race.
This month is seen as a time for reflection and positive change for the future.
Activities taking place throughout the month include:
The Royal Ballet - 'Draft Works', five pieces by Black women choreographers 6-7 Oct, 8.00pm, Clore Studio, London.
The Front Room Project, 8 Oct, 15 Oct, 22 Oct and 29 Oct - 5.30-7.30pm, The Windrush Millennium Centre, Manchester.
Check out what is happening in your area!
People who have made significant contributions:
Mary Prince (c. 1 October 1788 - after 1833) - she was the first black woman to publish an autobiography of her experience as a slave, born in the colony of Bermuda to an enslaved family of African descent. After being sold a number of times and being moved around the Caribbean, she was brought to England as a servant in 1828 and later left her enslaver.
Diane Abbott is a British Labour Party Politician who has served for Hackney North and Stoke Newington since 1987. She was the first black woman elected to parliament and is the longest-serving black MP.
Benjamin Obadiah Iqbal Zephaniah - was a British writer, dub poet, actor, musician and professor of poetry and creative writing.
Margaret Bushby is an extremely influential name in the world of publishing. She was Britain's youngest and first black female book publisher, when she co-founded the publishing company Allison and Busby in 1967, alongside a man called Clive Allison.
Alex Wheatle - was a British novelist. He drew on his own personal experiences and explored the lives of working class Black people in Britain. 'Brixton Rock' - adapted into a BBC film in 1999.
Barbara Walker MBE RA is a British artist who lives and works in Birmingham. Her figurative drawings and paintings tell contemporary stories hinged on historical circumstances. Her personal experiences with issues of class, race, power and belonging have shaped her practice. Her work ranges from small, embossed works on paper to large-scale wall drawings.
Zadie Smith - born in North London and read English at Cambridge. Her debut novel, 'White Teeth' (2000) is a vibrant portrait of contemporary multicultural London, told through the stories of three ethnically diverse families. In September 2010, she became a tenured professor in the Creative Writing faculty of New York University.
Andrea Levy - was an author who was best known for the novels 'Small Island' (2004) and 'The Long Song' (2010). She was born in London to Jamaican parents. She won the Orange Prize for Fiction in 2004 for 'Small Island'.
"Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better." Martin Luther King Jr.
"Each time a woman stands up for herself , without knowing it...she stands up for all women." Maya Angelou
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