Black History Cymru 365 

Race Council Cymru took on the management of Black History Month in Wales in 2015. October is the month which African and Caribbean history and heritage is celebrated throughout the UK.  Such celebrations are owed to Dr Carter G Woodson, an American black scholar, who noticed from his studies that history books largely ignored the black American population. After establishing the Association for the study of Negro Life and History and founding the journal of Negro History, Woodson launched Negro History Week in 1926. This aimed to bring national attention to the contributions of black people through American History.

In the UK BHM emerged as part of the African Jubilee Year for Marcus Garvey Centenary celebrations in America. Akyaaba Addai Sebbo coordinator of Special Projects at the Greater London Council (GLC) is acknowledged as the originator in the UK, with the first event in 1987. Since then BHM has grown to over 6,000 events being celebrated across the UK every October with activities such as lectures, conferences, concerts and specialist programmes in community centers, schools, libraries and museums which highlight and celebrate the achievements and contributions that Black people have made to the development of British society, technology, economy and culture.

Race Council Cymru has now launched Black History Cymru 365, making Wales proudly the first country in UK to recognise formally that Black History should be embedded throughout the year. 

Useful links...
www.black-history-month.co.uk
www.blackhistorymonthuk.co.uk
www.biography.com/blackhistory
www.blackhistory4schools.com

Black History in Wales

Black History Month in Wales laid a great foundation, to engage, educate and empower individuals, community groups and Wales-wide communities in recognising the contribution that the African Diaspora has made in the history of Wales’ economic and cultural development. It also allowed the wider community to take part, learn and celebrate together to promote understanding and share our global history.

Wales arguably hosts one of the first truly multi-cultural cities in the world where numerous races have lived side-by-side in harmony for many decades. Wales remains aware and proud of its diversity and rich past and it celebrates a great tradition of sharing stories and welcoming visitors from around the world.

Now with Black History Cymru 365 we can do even more and the North Wales Jamaica Society is proud to be a part of this new development.