Black History Month
Resource type: Event
Price band: £
Key stage: KS1, KS2, KS3, KS4, KS5
Region(s): All of UK
Black History Month takes place in October. It provides an opportunity to shine a light on Black history, heritage and culture, and to celebrate the continuing achievements and contribution of Black people to the UK and around the world.
The Black History Month website hosts a range of resources that could be useful for schools. These include:
- A Black History Month Resource Pack for primary and secondary schools that includes posters, assembly notes and lesson plans.
- A Features section with articles covering a range of topics such as The History of the Slave Trade, Science and Medicine, Black History Month Heroes, Great Black Britons and more.
- A Poets Corner featuring poems by Black poets.
- A Black History Month UK Magazine.
Cost: Articles on the website are free. The Resource Pack is £54.50 + postage.
About Black History Month UK: Black History Month began in the US but was launched in London in 1987 with the aim of challenging racism and educating people about aspects of British history that were not taught in schools.
Further resources:
- Author Sufiya Ahmed introduces her WWII adventure, Rosie Raja: Churchill’s Spy, and talks about researching and writing historical fiction in a free, live ReadingZone Bookclub event on Friday 30th at 2pm.
- Catch up with a recording of Catherine Johnson, author of Race to the Frozen North and Freedom as she talks about her writing process and the challenges of writing historical fiction on the ReadingZone Live website.
- BBC Teach has a range of resources to support Black History Month.
- Our Black History Heroes is a collection of short films that celebrate the lives of 22 history-making figures from the past 200 years, chosen and narrated by children.
- Publisher Usborne has a number of Quicklinks to websites with useful content and activities to help you celebrate Black History Month.
- Candid Cocoa is a blog and review site dedicated to reviewing and celebrating Black children’s fiction and non-fiction books for children aged 3-11. The site is run by former teacher and books editor Fabia Turner, who also maintains a Black Children’s Book Directory that includes information about how listed books can be used in the classroom.
- The National Trust has produced booklists and accompanying teaching notes that celebrate Black literary history for KS1-3. The resources highlight favourite Black authors, illustrators and characters from children’s books.
- Books for Topics has a list of book recommendations for Black History Month,
- Both Books for Topics and Best Book for Schools offer booklists that focus specifically on Black history in the UK.
- Find more book recommendations from BookTrust, BookTrust Scotland, and CLPE.
- Browse Poetry by Heart’s Black Poets Matter collection of poems by black and ethnic minority poets. There are over 70 poems to explore, with entries by contemporary poets as well as poets from previous centuries.
- Writing Realities from the Writing for Pleasure Centre provides a framework and examples of practice to encourage all young people to celebrate and reflect their own realities in their writing.
- Read the latest edition of CLPE’s Reflecting Realities report that looks at the extent and quality of ethnic representation and diversity in children’s publishing in the UK.
- Visit the Reflecting Realities section of the website for more resources to support an inclusive and representative literacy curriculum.
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