Celebrating Black History Month in Brighton & Hove
October is Black History Month in the UK.
It’s a month to celebrate the continued achievements and contributions of Black people to the UK and around the world.
It’s also a time for continued action to tackle racism, reclaim Black history, and ensure Black history is represented and celebrated all year round.
We’ll be flying the Black History Month flag from Hove and Brighton town halls throughout the month.
Time for Change: Action Not Words
The theme of this year’s Black History Month is ‘Time for Change: Action Not Words’, aiming to get people to come together to make a change for the better.
It’s about coming together around a shared common goal to achieve a better world for everyone.
The campaign is asking for real support from allies to ensure real change. It’s time to reset your mindset and support with actions, not words. See something, say something, don’t be a passive bystander. Not just at the weekend in the club or playing sports, but on the street, in shops, at work.
Black History Month is a time to celebrate black history, heritage and culture, and the iconic figures that have contributed so much, but this year, let’s make it about so much more. If you’re serious about allyship, it’s Time for Change: Action Not Words.
Black History Month events
We’re holding two exhibitions at Jubilee Library to celebrate Black History Month.
The ‘Projecting Power: Photography as Activism’ exhibition runs from Monday 3 to Saturday 22 October as part of the city’s Photo Fringe. Participants in the project were invited to use photography to analyse systems of power and explore activism from different angles, from the personal to the political.
Photograph credit: Hisham Pryce, Parchment from the series ‘Folding my Father’ from the Photo Fringe 2022: Projecting Power Exhibition.
In partnership with the Socially Engaged Art Salon (SEAS), the ‘Doing it for Ourselves’ exhibition runs from Monday 24 to Saturday 30 October. The exhibition by Pierre Monnerville pays tribute to LGBTQ+ People of Colour who are helping their communities.
On Sunday 30 October, we’re working with Writing Our Legacy and its creative community to host a free drop-in from 2 to 3.30pm at Jubilee Library.
The session will explore the literary heritage of the Black, Asian and ethnically diverse communities, with members of their Black People of Colour Creatives' Network sharing their literary inspirations through readings, talks and sharing. You will be invited to share your own literary heroes too. Light refreshments provided.
You can also join the Business & IP Centre (BIPC) in Jubilee Library for the free 'Inspiring Entrepreneurs: Building the Black Economy' workshop from 5.15pm to 7.45pm on Tuesday 18 October.
You will hear from 6 inspiring entrepreneurs at various stages in their careers and across a range of industries, as our panel come together to discuss the considerations they took into account when building their businesses and the insights they have learnt along the way.
It's a free event but there's limited places, so please register.
A number of other community events are taking place in the city over the month, which include:
- Black Brighton Market from 11am on Saturday 1 October, The Actors Pub, 4 Princes Street, BN2 1RD
- Black history events at the Coopers Cask, 3 Farm Road, Hove, BN3 1 FB including book readings and quizzes, every Thursday in October
- Black History Culture Celebration night of live music from 7pm on Friday 7 October at The Freemasons, 38-39 Western Road, Hove, BN3 1AF
At 3.45pm on Monday 24 October, Fabrica are showing Kirikou and the Sorceress, a beautiful animated film based on West African folktales.
After the screening there will be a mark making workshop table using natural dyes and hand made tools.
Tickets are available through Eventbrite on a pay what you can scale - and free for anyone under 25 years old.
Visit the Black History Month website for details of more events in Brighton & Hove
Black History Month reading
Our libraries also have specially curated stock throughout Black History Month.
Pop into Jubilee or Hove library to take a look and borrow a book.
You can also browse the online Brighton & Hove library catalogue to see our carefully selected collection to borrow, or download an eBook or eAudiobook from BorrowBox.
Anti-racist council
Councillor Steph Powell, Co-chair of the Tourism, Equality, Culture & Communities Committee said:
“Black History Month is an opportunity to acknowledge an important part of our country’s and city’s history and culture that is too often not talked about or understood.
“It’s also a time for reassert action to tackle racism. We’re fully support the call of this year’s theme for action not words. We reiterate our pledge to ensure real change through our work to become an anti-racist council and city.
“I hope that everyone can get involved in Black History Month. If you can, come along to Jubilee Library to see the exhibitions.
“It's important to recognise the achievements and contributions that Black people make to the UK every day.
“It's important to recognise the achievements and contributions that Black people make to the UK all year round, not just through October.
“Understanding, sharing and celebrating the experiences of our diverse communities makes our city a stronger place.”
