How to Celebrate Black History Month in the UK…Even if You’re Not in the UK

October is Black History Month in the UK! That’s right, a “holiday” that originated in the United States, is now being celebrated in countries all over the world. Yes, Black History Month is officially a thing in places outside the US. While February has always been Black History Month in the United States – and now Canada – they celebrate Black History Month in the UK, the Netherlands and Ireland in October.

Whose Black History do they Celebrate in the UK?

Fun fact, Black people have been in what is known as England for a very long time. Way before the Windrush Generation arrived. Way before the Bridgerton crowd got fancy. Historical records show the first Black resident residing in England was in the 16th century, but Black people have been on the British Isles since the Roman Empire included the city of Londinium.

That being the case, Black History Month celebrations in the UK, while inclusive of ancient history, are more focused on more recent history and the Black experience in the UK today.

How to Celebrate Black History Month in the UK…Even if You’re Not There

Of course, you don’t have to be in England (Scotland or Wales) to celebrate, honor and learn about the Black Experience in the UK this month. Even if you’re sitting on a bean bag chair in Detroit, or on a balcony in the south of Spain, here are five things you can do to get your British Black History Month on.

Read Books by Black British Authors.

Come on, you knew I was going to recommend reading at the top of my list, so this is no surprise. Of course there are a million amazing books by Black British authors that you can dive into, but if you’d like my opinion on where to start, pick up any book by the late, great Andrea Levy. Before her untimely death from cancer in 2019, Levy penned more than a half-dozen amazing novels that explored the Black British experience. I seriously loved all of her books, but I would recommend either Fruit of the Lemon or Small Island for your October reads. Both of these books are delicious, literary gems and get at the heart of what it feels like to be Black and British.

Watch The Movie Belle.

Belle is the 2013 film starring the gorgeous Gugu Mbatha-Raw, as the titular character, Belle. Belle is  the daughter of British Royal Navy officer Sir John Lindsay and Maria Belle, a black woman enslaved under the regime Lindsay upheld. She is raised in aristocratic society under the protection of her great uncle. Her arrival as a young child into her uncle’s home, coincides with a legal case that eventually led to the abolition of England’s participation in the slave trade in 1807. The movie is gorgeous, romantic and at times, heartbreaking. But it’s also an excellent way to learn more about one of England’s hidden Black figures and the history of slavery in that country.

Do a Virtual Visit to the Black Cultural Archives.

I mean, if you were in London, I’d say head directly to the Black Cultural Archives in Brixton at any time of the year, but especially during Black History Month. But if you’re not in England, you can still do a virtual visit and check out their extensive online resources that cover everything from the history of slavery in England to a syllabus on the Black Women’s Movement in the UK.  When you’re done packing your brain with fascinating information, you can visit the site’s gift shop and buy yourself a cool book, t-shirt, pin, or poster. That way, you’re getting something cool for you, supporting the archives, and celebrating black history in the UK.

Get a subscription to Black Ballad.

If you want to understand what life is like for Black British Women, then you should definitely subscribe to this lush, well-written, online publication founded in 2014 by the incredible Tobi Oredein. More than an online magazine, Black Ballad is a community that offer online and IRL events, podcasts, and engaging content that showcases the diversity of the Black experience in the UK.

Ask the Experts.

Take some time and peruse the International Black History Month in the UK website. Their mission statement reads: “We want to reclaim Black History Month UK and return it back to its original ethos of educating people on the achievements and contributions African and Caribbean heritage peoples have made to the UK’s history and culture.” On the website you’ll find resources, content and a list of events all about the UK’s Black history and current culture.

Celebrating Black History Month in the UK isn’t Just for the British

If you’re an American, British history is kind of our history as well, so it makes sense for Americans to pay attention to Black History Month in the UK. If you’re not an American, but you are an anglophile, then nerding out on Black British History should be high on your priority list given the tremendous contributions Black people have made to British culture. In February, I’m always shouting that Black history is American history, and I feel the same way about Black British history as well. You can’t claim to be interested in British culture and history without incorporating the Black parts. Personally, I was pleasantly surprised when I visited London for the first time in 2014 and went on a Black History Walking Tour of London and discovered just how Black that city’s roots really are. If you do happen to be in London in October or any other month of the year, I highly recommend checking out the diverse programing at Black History Walks. And tell them Lori sent you!

What will you do to celebrate Black History Month in the UK this year? Let me know in the comments below. Anybody think about throwing a British Tea party and serving foods from the African Diaspora? Hmmm….