Black History Month

Black History Month is a chance to learn about the impact of Black people across history and culture.

The contributions of Black people are often forgotten or missed when learning about history. By having a month dedicated to Black history, it’s a chance to make sure those contributions aren’t forgotten.

There are loads of ways to celebrate Black History Month, and there’s no right or wrong way.

We’ve got lots of ideas to get you started, it can also help to ask a teacher at school about whether there’s anything happening you can take part in.

Many people were involved in helping to create Black History Month in the UK. It began in 1987 to mark the 150th anniversary of the end of slavery in the Caribbean.

In America, Black History Month is celebrated in February to be in the same month as the birthdays of Frederick Douglas and Abraham Lincoln. Both people were extremely important to the rights of Black people in America.

Because the UK has its own history and values, we celebrate Black History Month in October instead.

There are a few reasons Black History Month is in October. By October, schools in the UK have all settled in, so it’s a great time to celebrate and dedicate time to learning about Black history.

October is also an important month in African culture. Traditionally, leaders in Africa would take the month as a time of peace and tolerance and would spend the time talking about important issues.

Being an ally means making an effort to support and speak out for others. Being an ally to Black people or communities can mean:

• Listening and accepting what people tell you about their experiences
• Taking a stand to support other people
• Being open to questioning your assumptions or changing when you make mistakes
• Sharing and supporting Black voices or causes

Being an ally isn’t just for Black History Month. Whether it’s supporting Black creators, learning about Black history, or reporting racist comments, there are lots of ways to be an ally or get involved.