Throughout October, the University held several events as part of our celebrations for Black History Month 2020.

Unlike previous years, our events this year moved to online spaces but this did not diminish the quality or appetite for recognising this special month.

In case you couldn’t join in, below are highlights of some of our featured celebrations and events:

Fireside Chat between Chancellor Baroness Lola Young and Vice-Chancellor Professor Shearer West.
‘To be truly anti-racist will take time, courage, difficult conversations, and a shared vision with collective action’. Baroness Lola Young, Chancellor, and Professor Shearer West, Vice-Chancellor reflect on Black History Month, Black Joy, and Leadership during the pandemic.

What is Black Joy?
‘You are my wildest dream’. Maria Arruda leads a conversation about Black Joy and what it means for our panellists.

Why We Need Black Radicalism?
‘Black radicalism plays a role in creating and maintaining Black Joy’.  Dr. Hannah Marie Robbins and our panel of speakers will look at Black radicalism that centres freedom, possibility, and imagination.

Is the University Colonial?: Critical Conversations on Its Past
Chaired by Maria Arruda (Chair of the BAME Staff Network) leading scholars from Nottingham and Connecticut discuss the role that universities have had in cultivating racist narratives and inequality in society.

Black, Other: Underappreciated Narratives on Race and Science
Presented by the UoN BAME staff network, this session explores underappreciated narratives of racism and colonialism through the eyes of two UK-based Brazilian Academics.

Ubuntu: A decolonial epistemic shift for education
Presented by Dr Sobantu Sibanda, the School of Education celebrates Black History Month by exploring contributions to educational thought from Black thinkers and scholars.

Thank you to everyone who has contributed to making this a memorable month. We are always looking for staff and students to support our planning for our recognition months.

Please email BR-EDICoordinators@exmail.nottingham.ac.uk for upcoming opportunities to join our programme boards.