Black History Month (BHM) is an annual celebration of the successes and achievements of the Black community and a time for recognising their impact in society.
The theme for Black History Month this year is, ‘celebrating our sisters' which focuses on the crucial role Black women have played in inspiring change and building communities.
Our NTU community is proud to support Black History Month by hosting activities and initiatives that are open to our students and colleagues. We are also pleased to share our educational resources with our community as part of our commitment to becoming an anti-racist institution.
We recognise that the Black history experience is not limited to one month each year and have made a commitment to work year-round to host a diverse programme of events and resources to help create a more equal future for everyone.
Events and initiatives
We are very pleased to share our upcoming events and initiatives to celebrate Black History Month. Browse the list and get involved in workshops, seminars, roundtable discussions and more.
Black Heroes of Mathematics Conference 2023
Tuesday 3 - Wednesday 4 October, Online (Zoom)
This conference is a free event on Zoom which aims to celebrate the inspirational contributions of Black role models to the field of mathematics and mathematics education. There will be range of talks by internationally renowned Black speakers providing insight into their career paths.
A new formation - How black footballers shaped the modern game
Tuesday 17 October 2023, 1 - 3 pm, PAV121, Clifton Campus
The focus for this informal, book-club style event will be A New Formation: How Black Footballers Shaped the Modern Game, edited by Calum Jacobs.
Whether you've read the whole book, have just started it, or are simply curious about the unique role that Black British footballers have played in shaping the beautiful game both on and off the pitch, please come along (with a brew) for an open and inclusive discussion.
We are delighted that Calum Jacobs will be attending the event remotely to take part in the discussions and to answer questions.
This event is open to students and colleagues.
Tuesday 24 October, Newton Building, 5-7 pm, LT5 and LT6
This is part of a series of EDI events in the School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment (ADBE) and will have a particular focus on representing students and professionals from under-represented groups. The format will be a keynote and / or a few short talks on different aspects of networking and belonging, including hints and tips, and how making connections can support your career development with presenters from Black and minority backgrounds.
There will then be some informal networking over refreshments for students to 'practice' their networking with industry guests and each other. This is also due to take place the day before the Built Environment Fair and will help increase students' confidence and preparedness for engaging with employers.
If you’d like to find out more, please contact Liz Radice, Student Experience and Engagement Lead or Dr Anthony Ogbuokiri, Senior Lecturer, MSc Project Management.
Nottingham Trent Students’ Union (NTSU)
As a university and alongside the Nottingham Trent Students’ Union (NTSU), we are firmly committed to sustaining a highly effective learning and working environment characterised by fairness, equality of opportunity and the valuing of diversity.
Head to the NTSU website to explore their 'Black Futures' events during October.
Our African Caribbean Society aims to educate and unite diverse students from NTU and the University of Nottingham. The NTU Eastern African Society celebrates culture and empowers our community through fun and memorable activities throughout the year.
Vote for your most inspiring scientist
Throughout the month, we encourage NTU students and staff to vote for their most inspiring scientist with Black, Asian or minority ethnic heritage.
Voting is open until Tuesday 31 October 2023, with the winners announced on Friday 3 November 2023.
What's more, by voting and entering their student number, NTU students will be entered into the draw to win Amazon vouchers. They’ll also be able to get involved in other diversity linked projects throughout the year with fellow students and colleagues.
Black Leadership Programme
NTU's Black Leadership Programme is a collaboration between Nottingham Trent University (NTU) and Nottingham Trent Students’ Union (NTSU). The programme is designed to empower students to gain confidence and become resilient leaders through a series of hands-on events and community-building activities.
Successful applicants get access to valuable events and opportunities, building the skills to become effective leaders. Applications for are now open until 5 November 2023.
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion at NTU
NTU is dedicated to working to strategically advance equality, diversity and inclusion, and to support a culture of engagement underpinned by respect.
The University currently holds and is continually advancing our work in the Race Equality Agenda, Athena Swan Bronze Award (gender equality), Stonewall Diversity Champion (LGBT) and as a Disability Confident Employer.
The Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) team recognises that learning is vital to ensuring that our students and colleagues understand and are equipped with skills and competence to support inclusion and fairness. A dedicated space for self-education resources has been developed for our NTU community to benefit from. This online platform features educational videos, information articles, recommended reading lists and more, encouraging students and colleagues to continue to make informed decisions and continue to make an active contribution to making NTU an inclusive environment for all.
NTU colleagues have access to an Anti-Racism and White Privilege learning module as part of their essential learning, and an 'Understanding Racism' learning module is available to all NTU students. Both offer the opportunity to explore and build an understanding of what Racism is and how it can be positively combatted.
If you have a general question for the EDI team at NTU, please email us.
Spotlight on Professor Veronica Pickering
To celebrate Black History Month, we’re pleased to profile Professor Veronica Pickering. Read more to learn about her remarkable career and achievements and how she feels about making history as the first black female to be appointed to the position of High Sheriff of Nottinghamshire.
Our Research
Our NTU community of researchers aim to break down barriers and tackle society’s problems. Meet some of our researchers who are working to celebrate, give agency and create a legacy for the Black community in Nottingham.
Panya Banjoko is a lecturer in NTU’s School of Arts and Humanities. Her thesis is around Politics in Poetry and the Role of African Caribbean Writers and Networks in the 1970s and 1980s. Panya is a key figure in Nottingham’s arts and culture community, establishing Nottingham Black Archive, which aims to collect, research and preserve Black history and heritage in the region and is the first organisation of its kind in the city.
Patricia Francis is a PhD Researcher working across our School of Art & Design and our School of Arts and Humanities. Her research is a creative-critical analysis of the muting of dissenting women’s voices focusing on the women involved in the 1984-1985 miners’ strike and those involved in the Black Lives Matter movement.
Dr Dung Jidong is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Psychology. His research areas include mental health issues among BAME (Black, Asian and minority ethnic) people, African cultural perspectives on mental health issues and Black and cultural psychology. His study has highlighted the significant gaps in support available to African and Caribbean communities struggling with their mental health in the UK.
Sharon Monteith is Distinguished Professor of American Literature and Cultural History in NTU’s School of Arts and Humanities. Professor Monteith's interdisciplinary research focuses on literary activism, African American and Black British print and visual culture, the American South, the US civil rights movement and massive resistance to civil rights in the 1950s and 1960s. It also focuses on African American and Black British history, American literature and culture, feature film, documentary and art cinema, journalism and media cultures. Sharon’s most recent book is SNCC’s Stories: The African American Freedom Movement in the Civil Rights South (University of Georgia Press, 2020) which won the C. Hugh Holman Book Award.
Don't forget to tag us with the hashtags below to share your involvement in Black History Month!
#BlackHistoryMonth #BHM2023
As a university, we are proud to be a progressive and inclusive university, and we all have a part to play in tackling racism.
For anyone who would like to self-educate, here are a set of articles that may help you as part of your journey.
If you would like to advertise an event, please contact EDI@ntu.ac.uk.