Black History Month 2025
24 Oct 2025
Events and activities to get involved with
Black History Month is an annual recognition of the achievements and contributions made by Black and Black heritage people. Marked in the UK since 1970, it allows time to appreciate the positive contributions that Black and Black Heritage people have made in the UK and internationally throughout history. The theme this year is ‘Standing Firm in Power and Pride’, recognising and celebrating the resilience, strength, and commitment to progress within the Black community and to build better for future generations.
This year is also the 80th anniversary of the Pan-African Congress in Manchester, which brought together a call for Pan-African solidarity in challenging colonial rule and racial discrimination as well as promoting human rights, equality and unity.
Many of our colleagues and students have already joined in with Black History Month activities, and there are still numerous ways you can get involved over the coming weeks.
What’s happening?
Podcast launch: Let’s Talk Race
Following on from the success of our Let’s Talk Disability podcast, we’re launching our new series: Let’s Talk Race. This first episode, recorded in early September, opens discussion around why people find it challenging to talk about race and racism, drawing upon previous events in Manchester and the UK to highlight the importance of having these conversations. Our panellists are:
- President Duncan Ivison (President and Vice-Chancellor)
- Professor Dawn Edge (University Academic Lead for EDI ‘Race’, Religion and Belief and first Black Woman Professor at Manchester)
- Dr Sheena Kalayil (Academic Lead for EDI Race, Religion and Belief and Author and Senior Lecturer)
- Sarah Fox (Executive Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion
Pan African organising in Manchester
Join former University of Manchester researcher Dr Parise Carmicheal-Murphy and members of the Ahmed Iqbal Ullah RACE Centre team to delve deeper into the archives and discuss the significance of the Pan African Congress, its felt impact and ongoing resonance with the struggles to progress racial equity today.
- When: Wednesday 29 October
- Time: 6.00pm - 8.30pm
- Venue: Friend’s Meeting House, 6 Mount St Manchester, M2 5NS
Courage, vision, planning and fearless work: the Congress Lives On
A conversation with journalist, author and Professor of Sociology, Gary Younge to look at Black histories and how we acknowledge and honour our past, to meet the challenges faced today such as a rise in racism, Islamophobia and antagonism towards migrants and refugees. The event will commemorate the firth Pan African Congress and there will be a reading of a poem by Shirley May, to mark the work and legacy of the Pan African Congress and the resilience of Black communities.
- When: Monday 3 November
- Time: 5.00pm - 7.30pm
- Venue: Manchester Central Library, St Peter’s Square, Manchester, M2 5PD
The Success of Moss Side – Film Screening
The University is proud to be supporting the film screening of ‘The Success of Moss Side’, by Director Elmi Ali and producer Baka Bah.The Success of Moss Side is a documentary that challenges the misconceptions and perceived narrative of Moss Side as a poverty and crime ridden area. Various insights are shown including intimate community portraits: a football coach nurturing dreams, a mother channelling grief into activism, and a music producer weaving the area’s soul into sound.
- When: Monday 3 November
- Time: 5.30 - 7.00pm
- Venue: Room 4.205, University Place, University of Manchester, M13 9PL
Colleague Blogs
We have three new blogs for Black History Month, written by our colleagues. They share their personal reflections on an array of important topics from representation in cancer research, to Manchester’s legacy in black history of the UK.
We will be sharing more events and engagement activity that celebrates and reflects on the achievements made by Black and Black heritage people, throughout the rest of year and beyond.