5 ways to celebrate Black History Month UK at school
Updated: Nov 2, 2022
There are lots of creative ways your school can recognise Black History Month UK beyond school assemblies and we've come up with a few ideas.
Black History Month UK is an opportunity to ensure that all young people, no matter their background, learn about the contributions of Black Britons to UK History. As David Olusoga said:“this is our national story, this is British history, it belongs to all of us.”
1. Sharing Journeys Campaign
Take part in our Sharing Journeys campaign, by getting your classes to research and create a visual installation using the six individuals from this year’s campaign: John La Rose, Lapido Solanke, Jessica Huntley, Katherine Wrasama, Dr Harold Moody and Amanda Alridge. For younger children, you may want to look at Black Britons from different time periods and we suggest you check out last year’s Black to the Past campaign for inspiration. We’re encouraging all schools and colleges to send us a picture or video of your installations by tagging us on any of our social media sites.
You can also choose to participate in our #BHMFamilies selfie challenge by getting your pupils to bring in a picture or item that reflects a family tradition and use this as a talking point to discuss the contributions of Black Britons to UK history and culture. You could explore cultural events such as the Notting Hill Carnival and why it started; explore how the British diet has changed over the years with the introduction of new foods like Jollof Rice and Jerk Chicken; and the British music scene by exploring new musical genres such as Lovers Rock, Jungle, and Grime.
2. Take part in our #BHMLandmarks challenge
You could organise a class trip to explore your locality to take a picture of statues and plaques that recognise the achievements of African and Caribbean heritage people in the UK. You can find information on the whereabouts of statues and plaques on the websites of Nubian Jak and the English Heritage or the Black London: History, Arts & Culture book. Post your pictures with the hashtag #bhmlandmarks and tag us on any of our social media accounts.
3. Virtually visit the Black Cultural Archives (BCA) and explore key events in British History
The Black Cultural Archives has lots of resources covering different time periods in British history including Black Abolitionists in Georgian London, Victorian Britons of African heritage whose work significantly impacted the arts, science and technology, and the Windrush generations who campaigned for legislative change that transformed the lives of all British migrants.