Black History Month honours Afro-Caribbean history and heritage and tells the stories of a community that is often marginalised.
During this time various events such as exhibitions, forums and activities are organised to teach and share Black British history and experiences.
Here are a few events that you can attend both online and in real life across boroughs of Croydon, Lewisham, Hackney and Tower Hamlets.
Tower Hamlets:
Black History month Photo-Open (online)
Photo-Open is an exhibition organised by Tower Hamlets council in partnership with Alternative Arts, featuring images representing London’s black community. Various themes are explored throughout this exhibition such as music and dance, politics and protests, and the current pandemic. This includes a vibrant set of images depicting various perspectives on blackness.
The online exhibition is available on the Tower Hamlets website.
Dark Mind showing at Genesis Cinema
Dami Adeyeye’s Dark Mind, a documentary about mental health and the black community will be screened at Tower Hamlet’s Genesis cinema on October 15.
With mental health being a taboo subject within the black community, this documentary’s aim is to challenge this stigma and entice change by sharing the story of six black individuals on their journey to seek help to get better.
Tickets are available here.
Lewisham:
Black History Month at Catford Broadway Theatre
This year, Catford Broadway Theatre is in partnership with Goldsmiths, University of London to display an installation entitled the Caribbean front room as part of the Windrush Arrival and settlement exhibition, organised for this black history month. Produced by artist Rose Sinclair, this installation recreates a classic Caribbean living room using the kitsch style, clashing with textiles and ornaments from the Caribbean often found in the Windrush generation’s homes.
The theatre is also projecting film footage and photographs every day in October from dusk until late to celebrate the Afro-Caribbean British community. This can be viewed at The Broadway Theatre Management Office window until October 31st.
This exhibition is at The Broadway Theatre, Catford Rd, Catford, London SE6 4RU.
Croydon:
Black History month quiz (online)
Organised by Croydon Council and Croydon University Hospital, this fun activity taking place on Zoom is an opportunity for anyone to put their knowledge of Black History and culture to test and learn more while socialising safely.
This activity is free and open to all and will take place on October 21st from 8-10 pm.
Click here for the entry link.
Photo collection, What does Black History Month mean to you? At Croydon University Hospital
An exhibition regrouping photographs and testimonies from Croydon hospital workers about what Black History Month means to them is available at the Yellow Bridge at Croydon University Hospital. This collection celebrates the Black individuals working to keep the Croydon community healthy, a nice homage especially considering the current stage of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The photo collection is available for viewing in the Yellow Bridge of Croydon University Hospital.
Download the Map here.
Hackney:
Rock Against Racism exhibition at Rivington Place
A series of images by Syd Shelton showing members of the Rock Against Racism movement between 1976 and 1981 is being displayed at Rivington Place, the gallery in honour of Black History Month. Aiming at showing the social divide and structural racism black individuals were victims of in the streets of Britain back in an era where the National Front was gaining influence, this exhibition is now more than ever relevant and important today with the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement that occurred this summer.
This event is being held at: Rivington place Gallery, Rivington Place, London, EC2A 3BA.
Black History month activities for Hackney’s youth at Forest road
Young Hackney, an organisation dedicated to educating, entertaining and helping the young people of Hackney with their professional and personal growth has a programme of activities centered around Black history. These activities include arts and crafts, film screenings, debates and African drumming classes available for young people from the age of 8 to 19.
These workshops are available from Monday to Friday from 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm for kids aged 8 to 12 and from 6:30pm to 7:30 pm for teens of ages 13 to 19 at Forest Road London, Hackney E8 3BY United Kingdom.
