► Black History Month

Coventry University graduate Ghostpoet

Coventry University graduate and Mercury Prize nominee, Ghostpoet.

3-28 October 2011

Black History Month (BHM) is an international celebration held every October in Britain and February in the USA and Canada. 2011 marks the 85th international BHM and the 25th anniversary of it being supported by the National Union of Students (NUS). It aims to promote knowledge of black, minority and ethnic history, culture and heritage and provide information on positive black contributions to British society.

We are, at CUSU, occasionally asked why we support BHM but don’t have a ‘white history month’. If you’re currently pondering this question, try this exercise – name five white British people born before 1970…now try the same but for five black people. Stuck? Black History Month is there to help inform everyone – whatever your ethnicity – of the contribution of black, minority and ethnic people to the UK and to show you that Britain’s history is much more cultural diverse than many people first realise.

Several of the sports and societies at CUSU will be putting on events, which are open to all students, throughout October. Check back here and in the What’s On section of the site for further details. You can also check out the Black History Month website for details of what’s going on across the UK.

Want to get involved? Send us an email and we'll see how we can work together.

Oh, and if you’re still trying to think of some Black Britons born before 1970 – here’s ten just to get you started.

 

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