During October 2019 the University of Nottingham is celebrating Black History Month with film screenings, panel discussions and more.

The University is proud to be celebrating Black and Minority Ethnic (BME) culture, history and our BME staff and student community.

Black History Month is a fantastic opportunity for our University community to engage with, learn more about and celebrate the achievements of our BME community.

We’d like to encourage everyone to get involved, join our celebrations and share details of the programme within their respective areas.

This year’s centrally organised events include:

• 20th Century Britain through the lens of Black American Music
  Gain a unique perspective, at different times and places during the mid-20^th Century, of the influence of Black American music and youth culture on the UK – well before the advent of either social media or Hip Hop.
  Join us for the screening of three BBC documentaries directed by the British director James Maycock:
  • Northern Soul: Living for the Weekend
  • The Motown Invasion
  • Gershwin’s Summertime

  This event will take place 7.30-10pm, Monday 7 and Tuesday 8 October 2019 at Peggy’s Skylight, 3 George Street, Nottingham NG1 3BH.
  For more information, and to book your place, please visit the event page.

• Career Success – the BME Experience
  Join our BME staff, students and alumni to hear about their careers, have your questions answered, share experiences, get ideas and build your network. A mix of short presentations and informal small-group discussion, the evening will be chaired by Dr Nalayini Thambar, Director of Careers and Employability.This event will take place 4-6.30pm on Thursday 17 October in the Senate Chamber, Trent Building, University Park Campus.
  For more information, and to book your place, please visit the event page.

Activities and events will also be taking place in our Faculties, Schools, Departments and Professional Services. These include:

• Black Healthcare Leaders and Trailblazers
  A display of black healthcare leaders and trailblazers will be in the foyer of the Medical School for Black History Month.This event will take place 1-31 October in the Medical School Foyer, QMC.

• Black Nurses: The Women who saved the NHS
  The School of Health Sciences BME Student Network is hosting a screening of the BBC documentary “Black Nurses: The Women who Saved the NHS” followed by a thirty minute discussion afterwards.This event will take place 5-7pm on Monday 7 October in Lecture Theatre 3, QMC.
  For more information, and to book your place, please visit the event page.

• Organ and Blood Donor Awareness Campaign
  The School of Health Sciences BME Student Network is leading a month-long campaign to raise awareness of blood and organ donation, at the University of Nottingham and in the wider Nottingham community. Because of the new rules around organ donation changing next spring, and low numbers of blood and tissue donors from the black community, this is at timely campaign to debunk myths around donation and encourage more people to register.This event will take place at the following times:

• • 11am-1pm, Tuesday 8, 15, 22, 29 October, A Floor, Medical School Foyer
  • 10am-2pm, Saturday 12 October, Nottingham City Centre
  • 10am-2pm, Saturday 19 October, Beeston Town Centre
• BecoME: BME Leaders in Healthcare Conference
  The School of Health Sciences BME Student Network, together with the Afro Caribbean Medical Network and the Students’ Union BME Network, present “BecoME: BME Leaders in Healthcare” conference. Open to all, this conference will highlight the journeys of prominent BME leaders in healthcare, offer career building workshops, and provide an opportunity to network with other current and future leaders of healthcare.This event will take place 9am-5pm, Saturday 26 October, Business School South.
  For more information, and to book your place, please visit the event page.

Details of all events will follow in a comprehensive programme announced on Tuesday 1 October 2019.

Dr Val Watson, Head of University Counselling Service and Chair of the University’s BME Staff Network, said:

“We’d like to encourage everyone to get involved; show support for our BME staff and students and local community, aim to learn more about black history, contribute to ongoing debates, see the progress we’re making, and help us make more history.”

Get involved…

For further details of all events, please visit the University’s event listings.

To find out more about the University’s Black History Month programme, or if you’re arranging a Black History Month event and would like it adding to the central event listings, please email People and Culture.

For news and updates on the events, follow the People and Culture blog.