This month, St Gabriel’s Church in Aldersbrook will host a Black History Month celebration, open to all and bringing the community together for an evening of Afro-Caribbean culture. Felicity Brewis reports
Back in 2020, a number of churchgoers at St Gabriel’s in Aldersbrook set up an informal and non-political Black Lives Matter (BLM) group with the intention of bringing people together and affirming community diversity. Since that time, members of the group have continued to exchange news and information affecting the black community, both locally and nationally, and small groups have enjoyed visits to local theatre and a museum.
This autumn, the BLM volunteers are organising an evening of Afro-Caribbean culture with insights into community history via storytelling and poetry, opportunities to try African drumming (see page 10), delicious food and drink and dancing.
This is not just an event for churchgoers but a lively social occasion to mix with and learn more about our Afro-Caribbean neighbours and the major contributions they have made to British life.
The Black History Month movement started in the USA as far back as 1926 with the writer and historian Carter G Woodson announcing a ‘Negro History Week’ to commemorate the lives of influential black men and women. By 1976 (America’s bicentenary year), it was formalised and renamed Black History Month, which has since been celebrated in the States every year in February.
In the United Kingdom, Black History Month has been observed since 1987, the 150th anniversary of the abolition of slavery in the Caribbean. It was conceived by Akkyaaba Addai-Sebo, who came to the UK from Ghana in 1984 and whose thinking aligned with the anti-racist agenda of the former Greater London Council. The idea was pioneered by its Principal Race Relations Adviser, Ansel Wong, and other progressive London councillors. A series of lectures, music and cultural events followed (with many international speakers and participants) to inform the public of the importance of historic black British figures and their contribution to our national life. The idea spread and was taken up in other UK cities until it became a nationally recognised celebration. The month of October was chosen because, historically, it had been the time of year for African leaders to gather together to discuss important issues. And, being the start of the new academic year in Britain, it was hoped it would engage schoolchildren and foster pride in their heritage for black students.
The national theme of this year’s Black History Month is ‘Honouring Our Communities,’ which means not just people from the past but today’s nurses, doctors, educators, public officials, sports professionals, entertainers and musicians – people from all walks of life and from the many diverse black communities of the African diaspora.
St Gabriel’s Black History Celebration will take place on 17 October from 7pm (tickets: £20). Visit wnstd.com/17oct26
