October is Black History Month. 

Recognise and celebrate Oxford’s African and African-Caribbean community.

The Cowley Road Carnival has its origins in the celebration of our Caribbean commmunity stretching back to 1986 with the first Caribbean Focus project. With Junie James one of the driving forces. Junie is still on our Board of Trustees today. Cari-fest is still going strong, held at the East Oxford Community Centre on Carnival Day.

There is plenty going on in Oxford to celebrate Black History Month. Find out more about what’s on where.

Spotify – Black History Month

To celebrate Black History Month Oxford City Council has created a Spotify playlist of local black musicians as recommended by Oxford residents.

Start listening on Spotify.

Oxford Brookes University

Black History Month Programme for October 2018

16 October – Come along and learn about projects, research, initiatives and community and voluntary activity of Brookes staff. FREE and OPEN TO ALL.

12.00pm – 2.00pm – Lunchtime Staff Showcase

Discover more on the Oxford Brookes website.

17 October – Writer and broadcaster Afua Hirsh will be at the JHB Main Lecture Theatre, John Henry Brookes Building, Headington Campus.

6.00pm – 7.00pm – Afua Hirsch, ‘Brit(ish)’

Discover more on the Oxford Brookes website.

23 October – Cecilia Anim CBE shares her experiences as the first BME President of the RCN; her inspiration throughout her four decades in the NHS; and the challenges and opportunities facing a new generation of nursing staff.

6.00pm – 7.00pm – Cecilia Anim CBE – My journey from Ghana to RCN President

Discover more on the Oxford Brookes website.

29 October – Dr Dave Ellis will explore the sentiments and experiences of Caribbean migrants popularly known as the Windrush generation.

6.00pm – 7.00pm – Welcome Home: Narratives of Arrival from the Windrush generation

Discover more on the Oxford Brookes website.

31 October  – Jay Bernard is a writer and film programmer at BFI Flare (London’s LGBT film festival

6.00pm – 7.00pm – Surge, Jay Bernard

Discover more on the Oxford Brookes website.

University of Oxford

1 – 31 October – Beyond Boundaries

The University of Oxford is inviting schools to take part in a new art competition for Oxfordshire school students to create art inspired by research from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic scientists. Students are being asked to choose one of twelve scientists who is particularly inspiring, to create an artistic response to their research (e.g. painting, drawing, sculpture, other artistic media) along with a short statement explaining their piece.

Career profiles and research descriptions of the role models will be available on the Oxford Sparks website.

19 October –  The Mathematical, Physical and Life Sciences Division and the Medical Sciences Division of the University of Oxford will be holding lectures and a panel presentation to engage academic communities and the general public in scientific and medical topics of interest and importance.

2.30pm – 3.30pm – Panel Discussion: Race Equality in STEM

Discover more on Eventbrite.

IF Oxford Science + Ideas Festival

IF Oxford is an annual science and ideas festival organised by the charity Oxfordshire Science Festival.

13 October – Timbuktu: celebrating the Black contribution to the sciences, past and present.

12.15pm – 2.45pm – Mr Natty Mark Samuels, founder of the African School will be delivering an interactive workshop.

Discover more on the IF Oxford Science + Ideas Festival website.

19 October – What IF…

5.00pm – 6.30pm – The world premiere of a collection of rap and hip hop music, spoken word and short stories about what it’s like growing up today.

Discover more on the IF Oxford Science + Ideas Festival website.

20 October – Izibongo: celebrating African and Diasporic Art

12.30pm – 2.30pm – Join Mr Natty Mark Samuels of African School for this interactive, multi-generational workshop to find out more

Discover more on the IF Oxford Science + Ideas Festival website.

21 October – ‘Labhacks’: a creative way to equip science laboratories in Africa

1.00pm – 2.00pm – In this talk researchers form the University of Oxford will discuss a novel, creative and fun approach to address the shortages of laboratory equipment in Africa.

Discover more on the IF Oxford Science + Ideas Festival website.

21 October – What IF… Blackbird Leys

6.00pm – 7.00pm – Experience the collection of rap and hip hop music, spoken word and short stories about what it’s like growing up today.

Discover more on the IF Oxford Science + Ideas Festival website.

22 October – Black Panther: Blackbird Leys

11.00am – 4.00pm – If you enjoyed the movie, come and enter the world of Wakanda to explore the science and ideas from the blockbuster film Black Panther.

Discover more on the IF Oxford Science + Ideas Festival