September 5, 2017, by Zoë Goodwin

Celebrate Black History Month 2017

The University of Nottingham is set to celebrate Black History Month 2017 — with music, discussions, a major new conference and more.

Throughout October 2017, the University will run a variety of free-to-attend, exciting events with a focus on Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) culture, history and people.

Exploring BME culture and history

This year’s Black History Month programme includes a number of live events, followed by our first ever Race Equality conference — an exciting new calendar event for 2017, taking place in collaboration with the University of Birmingham.

Black History Month offers the opportunity to reflect on the history and achievements of BME communities and 2017 marks the fifth year of the University of Nottingham’s annual Black History Month celebrations. Our programme of events is part of national celebrations that take place throughout October, with this year marking the 30th anniversary of Black History Month in the UK.

The UoN Black History Month 2017 schedule is as follows:

• Historians Against Slavery Conference
  Saturday 7 October – Sunday 8 October
  Join Historians Against Slavery (HAS) as it holds its biennial conference outside of the United States for the first time, at the International Slavery Museum (ISM) in Liverpool. This two-day conference will mark the 10th Anniversary of the ISM as well as Black History Month 2017.
• Dreadlocks Story: Film screening and discussion
  7:30pm, Monday 9 October
  Dreadlocks Story director Linda Aïnouche holds a film screening and discussion about the bonds of the survival of African and Indian culture in Jamaica in view of upfront anti-slavery and anti-imperialist struggles.
  
• ‘How the South Won the American Civil War…. and Why the United States is Still Fighting It’
  6:00pm, Tuesday 10 October
  Professor John Stauffer, Harvard University, presents the Distinguished Annual American Studies lecture from the University of Nottingham’s Department of American and Canadian Studies during Black History Month 2017. This lecture outlines how the effects of the American civil war continued beyond 1865 – and still continue to affect race relations today.
• Black History Month Celebration: A live music performance
  8:00pm, Saturday 14 October
  Live music and performances from three singer/songwriters — plus music from a DJ.
• Digging Deeper: Unearthing Narratives of Black British Coal Miners
  12.00pm – 1.30pm, Tuesday 17 October
  Historian and author Norma Gregory presents an illustrated narrative on the struggles and experiences of African Caribbean coal miners from across the UK. A buffet lunch will be provided.

To follow our Black History Month 2017 programme, we are delighted to announce our first race equality conference, ‘Race Equality in Higher Education: What’s it got to do with you?‘, hosted in partnership with the University of Birmingham. This free conference is open to students and staff from both Universities.

The conference aims to:

• Increase organisational understanding of issues of race inequality in Higher Education
• Spark debate and conversation about the impact of these issues on staff and students at our organisations
• Set out how the Race Equality Charter can provide a framework for addressing these issues in a structured way

The conference will take place 10:15am – 3:30pm, Monday 30 October at the Nicolson Building, University of Birmingham, B15 2RT. Free transport to the venue will be arranged for Nottingham delegates.

Speaking about Black History Month 2017, Val Watson, Chair of the University’s BME Staff Network, said:

“We are pleased to once again be involved with Black History Month, celebrating the culture and history of BME communities at the University of Nottingham and beyond.

“We have a great line up of events planned this year, from live music by talented local artists, to exceptional talks by some fantastic speakers and presenters.

“All of our Black History Month events are free to attend and we welcome staff and students to come along and experience these fantastic and thought-provoking celebrations.”

Get involved:

To find out more about the University’s Black History Month programme and Race Equality Conference please email the People and Culture team.

For further updates on these events please subscribe to the People and Culture blog or visit the University’s Event listings.

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