Black History Month 2025
Welcome to the NCL Black History Month page
October marks Black History Month, an important opportunity to celebrate the achievements, resilience, and contributions of Black colleagues and communities across NCL.
Throughout the month, we will be hosting and promoting a series of activities and events that shine a light on inspiring stories of courage and leadership, and highlight the ongoing commitment to building truly inclusive workplaces.
We invite you to join us in recognising and honouring the impact of Black colleagues and communities across NCL.
Join the celebration and download your Black History Month Teams background
🎧 New for 2025 – Black History Month: Standing Up in Pride and Power in the Workplace - Podcast
Share Your Story to celebrate black history month - “Standing Up in Pride and Power in the Workplace”
This October, the NCL Training Hub is celebrating Black History Month to honour the strength, creativity, and resilience of our Black communities and their contribution to healthcare. The theme for 2025 is Standing Firm in Pride and Power, focusing on resilience, achievement, and the unwavering commitment to progress within the Black community.
We invite all Black primary care health professionals to share their personal stories and reflections in response to this theme. These lived experiences are valuable to hear, share, and contribute to a richer collective understanding of Black life in healthcare, from overcoming challenges to standing firm and thriving in the workplace.
Your story could inspire others and contribute to building a more inclusive, supportive work environment across NCL. Please complete this form to share your story or contact us at nclicb.ftsu@nhs.net.
Stay tuned for new episodes released every week of October and follow us at https://www.linkedin.com/company/north-central-london-training-hub/posts/?feedView=all
Episode week 1 - BHM- “Standing Up in Pride and Power in the Workplace” - Conversation with Betty Doegah.
Episode week 2 - BHM- “Standing Up in Pride and Power in the Workplace” - Conversation with Ginika Achokwu.
Celebrating Black History Month - NCL Online Event
As part of the celebrations, we will be hosting a special online celebration event for Black History Month. This event will bring colleagues together to reflect, learn, and celebrate the achievements and contributions of Black communities across NCL.
The date and full details are being finalised, but you can register your interest here now to make sure you don’t miss out. Once everything is confirmed, we will share all the information you need to join the event. We look forward to celebrating with you!
Events in London:
1. City Of London: Slave Trade Money Trail Tour – Book Here
Event Description: Find out how London keeps its memory of the glorification of stolen African lives that capitalised the "streets paved with gold".
Date & Time: 04/10/2025, 12 – 3 pm
2. The Sitdown presents: The Black Joy Experience – Book Here
Event Description: The Black Joy Experience offers an evening dedicated to conversation, reflection, and the celebration of joy. Aligned with this October’s Black History Month theme, ‘Standing Firm in Power and Pride’, the event honours the resilience, creativity, and cultural strength of Black communities.
Date & Time: 04/10/2025, 5:30 – 9:30 pm
3. Cashblack Market – Book Here
Event Description: A thriving and vibrant open-air market place, with over 40 Black-owned businesses. From fashion & clothing, to health & beauty, arts & crafts, toys & games, and, of course, food & drink.
Date & Time: 04/10/2025, 11 am – 6 pm
4. Celebrating Black History Month Pop Up Market in West Norwood – Book Here
Event Description: We mark 77 years of Windrush in Lambeth as we celebrate and continue to empower and support black businesses across the globe
Date & Time: 04/10/2025, 11 am – 6 pm
5. World Wars and Black Soldiers. African Odysseys @BFI – Book Here
Event Description: Legendary activist Professor Patrick Vernon reflects on how to protect Black history media in a time of increasing right-wing activity
Date & Time: 07/11/2025, 6:30 – 8:30 pm
6. African Deeds with Mandy Parker-Sharp – Book Here
Event Description: In a multi-media storytelling, theatre and music creative Mandy Parker-Sharp brings African Deeds to Lambeth, the story of three generations.
Date & Time: 07/10/2025, 7 – 8:30 pm
7. Black History Month - African Print Fabric Rag Wreath Workshop – Book Here
Event Description: Join us for a fun workshop where you can learn to make your own African print fabric rag wreath to celebrate Black History Month!
Date & Time: 09/10/2025, 6 – 8 pm
8. Black Mozart and other forgotten composers – Concert Talk – Book Here
Event Description: Concert Talk on the lives of black composers with Orville Breeveld (Royal Concertgebouw) and Rebeca Omordia (Wigmore Hall).
Date & Time: 09/10/2025, 7 – 9 pm
9. Afro Futurism , Spirituality and the Black Image – Book Here
Event Description: In depth talk and two short films on the topic as linked to the work of Octavia Butler and recent Hollywood/African/Brazilian blockbusters
Date & Time: 09/10/2025, 6:30 – 9 pm
10. Secrets of Soho, Black History Walk – Book Here
Event Description: This special walk delves into an amazing depth of African/Caribbean history between Soho Square and Russell Square
Date & Time: 11/10/2025, 10 am – 12 pm
11. Black History Month | Migration Stories: Windrush and the NHS – Book Here
Event Description: Hear from expert speakers about the Windrush generation’s significant contributions to the development of the National Health Service.
Date & Time: 13/10/2025, 5:45 – 8 pm
12. Black Allyship Program – Book Here
Event Description: The Black Allyship Programme offers a space for allies, diversity champions, and organisational leaders to come together and collaborate on how to build equitable workplace cultures that empower Black talent.
Date & Time: 16/10/2025, 10 am – 1 pm
13. Black History Steam Train Tour – Book Here
Event Description: 1950s Steam Train trip from London to Hampshire and back to recognise World War 2, Windrush, Red Tails and Bentley cars
Date & Time: 18/10/2025, 10 am – 5 pm
14. Black British Book Festival 2025 - Europe’s largest celebration of Black literature – Book Here
Date & Time: 19/10/2025, 12 – 9 pm
15. Tracing Black Ancestry: Proven Methods to Reconnect with Roots – Book Here
Event Description: Join Paul Crooks for a powerful talk on uncovering Black ancestry using records, oral history & DNA. Reconnect with your African roots.
Date & Time: 23/10/2025, 6 – 7:30 pm
16. Black History Tour of British Museum – Book Here
Event Description: The next Black History tour of the British Museum by Black History Studies will be held on Sunday 26 October 2025
Date & Time: 26/10/2025, 12 – 2:30 pm
Black History Month Resources
1. Black History Month 2025 – Historical Association: Link
2. Windrush – Britain’s Promise and Britain’s Betrayal - BHM.org: Link
3. Supporting Black History Month 2025 – NHS Employers: Link
4. Make A Change This Black History Month 2025 – Citylit: Link
5. Malcolm X: A Voice That Still Echoes in Britain – BHM.org: Link
6. Remembering Olive Morris – BHM.ORG: Link
1. Black History Walks – By Tony Warner
Blurb: From Elephant and Castle to Southwark, from London Bridge to Westminster, Black History Walks takes you to historic locations around the city of London and gives in-depth historical context for each place, illuminating the presence of Black history throughout Britain's capital city.
2. My Little Black Book: A Blacktionary: The pocket guide to the language of race – By Maggie Semple & Jane Oremosu
Blurb: This A-Z pocket guide is for people who are entering the workplace and finding their identity, for leaders and managers who feel overwhelmed by ever-evolving definitions and phrases, for anyone who is afraid of saying the wrong thing and being judged. From explaining what microagressions are and their impact, to helping you understand what cultural appreciation is and how it's different to cultural appropriation, this book will break down barriers to engaging in conversations on race.
3. How Black History Can Save Your Life: From the Talk to George Floyd, Everything You Need to Know to Deescalate a Racist Situation – By Ernest Crim
Blurb: From uncovering overlooked black history facts to sharing powerful black history stories, Crim demonstrates why black history for adults is more relevant than ever. The book explores why black history is American history, and how real history of America includes the triumphs, struggles, and contributions of Black Americans.
4. Awakened - By Kelechi Okafor
Waterstones Description: A blazing debut novel from the author of short story collection Edge of Here, this complex and imaginative dystopian fantasy finds a Londoner investigating the disappearances of young Black people develop otherworldly powers at a mysterious ritual in Benin.