Black History Month 2024
We'll be celebrating Black History Month 2024 throughout October.
Black History Month in the UK is in its 37th year and is celebrated and recognised across the country in schools, city centres, cinemas, festivals and more.
The theme for 2024 is Reclaiming Narratives.
In York, and around the country, you'll be able to participate in a variety of online and in-person events to celebrate Black History. In addition to the celebratory aspects, the month presents an engaging space of reflection on the achievements and innovative contributions of Black people to the social, political and cultural development of the United Kingdom. There are also opportunities for members of our community to learn more about the issues that continue to impact societies and people of colour in the UK and on an international level.
In line with the University's commitment to anti-racism, we invite everyone to learn with us the diverse stories, aspirations and activism that tackle racial inequality.
Our actions
The University has implemented actions that address the under-representation of the Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic student population in York and the UK Higher Education. Some of our race equality initiatives include:
- Our Black Access scheme
- Yorkshire Consortium for Equity in Doctoral Education (YCEDE) which continues to develop support and internship opportunities for Black, Asian and minority ethnic students with associated partners.
- We are part of a pilot Equity in Leadership Programme which was launched across the White Rose universities supporting career development of Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic staff aiming to advance into senior leadership positions.
- Our status as a University of Sanctuary
Since 2022, we have been publishing our ethnicity pay gap report and the Race Equality Action Plan to make our work more transparent and visible. Our Staff Race Equality Forum (SREF) expands and brings positive influence on the University’s anti-racism agenda. Building on the impact of our staff listening exercise in 2019, another listening exercise was conducted in October 2022 with the Vice Chancellor to gather feedback and develop a renewed action plan. Our newly established SREF Operations Team has been leading awareness-raising events and building better connections with different communities. Collaborating with the University of York Students’ Union, we have organised joint events including social, a discussion of ‘where are you really from?’, and sharing stories of individuals’ names to highlight intersectional experiences.
In the 2024/25 academic year, we are repurposing our Race Equality Coordination Group to better facilitate practice-sharing for practitioners and to support a critical vision of anti-racism at the University. We are also rejuvenating our Decolonising and Diversifying the Curriculum work to address inequalities in the student journey.
What's on?
Thursday 17 October, 1.30pm to 4pm
Online
Available to senior staff across the universities of Leeds, Sheffield, and York. To register, email Sameera Rafiq (s.rafiq@leeds.ac.uk)
Wednesday 23 October, 10am to 12 noon
Online
Available to senior staff across the universities of Leeds, Sheffield, and York. To register, email Sameera Rafiq (s.rafiq@leeds.ac.uk)
City-wide events
Black History Month - Objeks and Tings
Public events at the Castle Museum, Saturday 2 October from 10.30am
Celebrating Black Excellence
York St John University, Monday 14 October, 6.30pm to 9pm
Discussing Decolonisation: A guest lecture by Dr John Narayan
York St John University, Tuesday 15 October, 6pm to 7.30pm
Bishop Rose Hudson-Wilkin
York St John University, Wednesday 30 October, 4pm to 5pm
Further resources
We have a series of recordings from previous Black History Month, and other related awareness events, that are available for you to watch again:
- An African history of Africa - Zeinab Badawi
- Why we need a British conversation about race - Tomiwa Owolade
- Black England in the Eighteenth Century - Gretchen Gerzina and Paterson Joseph
- The New Age of Empire - Kehinde Andrews
- Discovering Black Portraiture - An Evening with Peter Brathwaite
- England's Hidden History
- The continuing Windrush scandal
- Noni Jabavu: Black Briton, South African
- Why what happens off screen matters
- YUSU BAME online debate and panel discussion
- Interfaith Week Event 2020: My Faith - its position within the University of York and the City
- From Windrush to the Royal Veterinary College and Founding the Reach Society - a journey to success
- The Art of Disruption: A manifesto for change - Magid Magid
- Responsibility, representation and restrictions
- Decolonising Methods and Methodologies - Dr Linda Tuhiwai Smith
- Health research in Africa: listening, learning and building truly equitable partnerships
- DecolonisING the University: learning from grassroots organisers with York Anti-Racist Collective
University-based groups and networks
Local groups
National groups
Our Let's talk about race and racism web page directs you to information and resources to help all members of our community better understand what it is like to experience racism, how to support those who experience racism and what the University is doing to progress its anti-racism work.