Celebrating diversity through Black History Month in the UK
Theirworld selects some of the most interesting resources and creative ways of celebrating Black history with our network.
The achievements and contributions of Black British people have been celebrated during October, as the United Kingdom marks Black History Month.
The theme this year has been “Proud to be” – with the aim to showcase “the vast richness of diversity that black and brown people bring to the UK”.
Throughout Black History Month, there have been events, dramas, podcasts and many other creative and practical ways to celebrate the accomplishments of the Black community in Britain.
In our day-to-day work at Theirworld, we have placed a greater emphasis on working with our project partners, staff and broader community to diversify perspectives and learn from one another. That includes working with emerging Black youth leaders in international development and campaigning through our more than 1,000 Global Youth Ambassadors in over 80 countries.
As Black History Month in the UK comes to a close, we have selected some of the most interesting resources and creative ways of celebrating Black history with our network. Some of these are directly related to our core mission of providing education and opportunity for all young people.
Here are our top picks:
THE TUBE MAP
The iconic map of the London Underground, so familiar to tourists and locals alike, was redesigned to honour people who helped to shape Black history in Britain. All 272 stations were renamed after figures ranging from the first Black woman to serve in the Royal Navy to modern-day footballers. The map was produced by Transport for London in partnership with Black Cultural Archives. See it here.
TEACHING IN WALES
Wales will become the first UK nation to introduce mandatory teaching of Black, Asian and minority ethnic histories and experiences at school. It will be included in a new education curriculum that starts next year. Welsh Education Minister Jeremy Miles said: “It is vitally important that our education system equips our young people to understand and respect their own and each other’s histories, cultures and traditions.” Learn more.
LONDON’S BLUE PLAQUES
The famous markers link the people of the past with the buildings of the present. Many of the plaques celebrate figures from London’s Black history, from campaigners and musicians to politicians and medics. Find out who they are. And for those wanting to visit key places in London, we recommend this guidebook.
RESOURCES FOR TEACHERS
Black History Month content provided by the BBC and suitable for use with both primary and secondary school pupils. Each resource is accompanied by teacher notes to aid classroom use. Available only in the UK. Here are additional teacher resources.
FOR YOUNG CHILDREN
From the BBC’s CBeebies channel, dads and daughters discuss everything from Rosa Parks to the Jamaican football team. If you’re in the UK, you can watch it here.