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When is Black History month?

Black History Month takes place every October in the UK. In the United States, it is celebrated in February.

Black History Month resources

You can use this collection of teaching resources to explore black history, heritage, culture and achievements with your class.

Below you'll find content suitable for use with both primary and secondary school pupils. Each resource is accompanied by teacher notes to aid classroom use.

For teacher CPD, you can read this article by Josiah Isles, an assistant headteacher who has written about his experiences within the education system as a black teacher in the UK.

And we have a series of short films to help support teachers to be an ally to students from black, South Asian and mixed heritage backgrounds.

You can also catch up on our panel discussion programme, Beyond Black History Month, in partnership with TES. This programme was originally broadcast live on 21 October 2020 and features ideas and best practice around teaching black and diverse histories and experiences.

Primary - KS1/5-7

Meet six extraordinary people, including Mary Seacole and Olaudah Equiano, and explore their contribution to British history.

Black British History. collection

Children's TV presenter Nigel Clarke celebrates the lives of six extraordinary people and their contribution to British history.

Black British History

Neil Armstrong and Matthew Henson. video

This animated film compares the lives and adventures of two different explorers, Neil Armstrong and Matthew Henson.

Neil Armstrong and Matthew Henson

Emily Davison and Rosa Parks. video

This animated film compares the lives of Emily Davison and Rosa Parks, two activists from different times and places, who both successfully protested against unfair rules.

Emily Davison and Rosa Parks

Primary - KS2/7-11

From Black British stories - a collection of short films exploring the experiences and contributions of people from communities across the UK, to the life of Rosa Parks and an assembly framework about Martin Luther King, we have plenty of Black History KS2 resources for you to discover with your students.

Black British Stories. collection

A collection of short films for primary schools, exploring the experiences and contributions of people from communities across the UK, and celebrating the rich contribution of the black community to the culture, society and economy of the UK.

Black British Stories

Katherine Johnson. video

An animation exploring the life of Katherine Johnson, a mathematician who joined NASA's space program in the 1950s and played a crucial role in calculating the trajectories for their space missions.

Katherine Johnson

Wangari Maathai. video

This animated film explores the life and achievements of Wangari Maathai, an environmental activist from Kenya who founded the Green Belt movement. Her courage and dedication was recognised in 2004, when she won a Nobel Peace Prize.

Wangari Maathai

The life and work of Harriet Tubman. video

In this short drama Harriet Tubman explains how she escaped slavery and then helped others to do so.

The life and work of Harriet Tubman

The life of Mary Seacole. collection

The life of Victorian nurse Mary Seacole is told in three short video episodes aimed at 7-11 year-olds.

The life of Mary Seacole

School Radio - The memory of Dr Martin Luther King's speech. audio

In this short audio clip we hear from a woman who remembers, as a girl, being taken by her father to hear Dr Martin Luther King's famous 'I have a dream' speech.

School Radio - The memory of Dr Martin Luther King's speech

The life and work of Rosa Parks. video

This short film explains how Rosa Parks' refusal to give up her seat on a bus changed the rules of American society.

The life and work of Rosa Parks

Pablo Fanque 鈥 The greatest Victorian showman. video

A short film about the life and work of Pablo Fanque, a famous equestrian performer from the Victorian era.

Pablo Fanque 鈥 The greatest Victorian showman

The life and work of Florence Price. video

Trailblazing composer Florence Price was the first black female to have a symphony performed by a major American orchestra. Discover more about Florence and her music with 大象传媒 Ten Pieces.

The life and work of Florence Price

The life and work of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges. video

Composer, sportsman, fashionista - Joseph Bologne was an 18th century superstar. Find out more about the man and his music with 大象传媒 Ten Pieces.

The life and work of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges

A framework for delivering an assembly based around Dr Martin Luther King's 'I have a dream...' speech.

School Radio - KS2 assembly framework about Dr Martin Luther King

Watch again: Literacy Live Lesson 3 for 7-11 year-olds. video

Ayshah Tull and Mrs Vee explore the inspirational lives and contributions of black writers, musicians, activists and more. Together with guest readers Angelica Bell and David Lammy, they explain how language is used in songs and speeches to inspire us, demonstrate the importance of proof-reading, and challenge pupils to write about their dreams for a better world.

Watch again: Literacy Live Lesson 3 for 7-11 year-olds

Secondary

Discuss Black History with your secondary students through use of these resources, including Migrants, in which David Olusoga investigates the lives and experiences of migrants to and from Britain throughout history, and Small Axe - a series of short educational films exploring the lives of London's West Indian community during the 1960s, 70s and 80s, produced alongside the 大象传媒 One collection of films directed by Oscar winner Steve McQueen.

Uprising. video

This short film for secondary schools looks at the New Cross house fire of 1981, and the protests, unrest and accusations of indifference that followed and defined race relations for a generation.

Uprising

Subnormal - A British Scandal. video

This short film for secondary schools examines how black children in the 1960s and 1970s were disproportionately sent to schools for the so-called 鈥榚ducationally subnormal鈥.

Subnormal - A British Scandal

Black Power - A British Story of Resistance. video

This short film for secondary schools looks at the Black Power movement in the 1960s in the UK, surveying both the individuals and the cultural forces that defined the era.

Black Power - A British Story of Resistance

The Colour of my Skin - Real stories of racism in the UK. collection

This powerful collection of short animated films uses real testimony from young people of colour to explore personal experiences of racism, bullying and isolation. These are real stories of racism in the UK.

The Colour of my Skin - Real stories of racism in the UK

Small Axe. collection

Short educational films exploring the lives of London's West Indian community during the 1960s, 70s and 80s, produced alongside the 大象传媒 One collection of films directed by Oscar winner Steve McQueen. These films combine extracts from Steve McQueen's collection of films with archive and bespoke narration, to bring significant moments from recent black British history to life for students.

Small Axe

Stephen Lawrence: The murder that changed a nation. collection

Three short films from a 大象传媒 documentary examining the murder of Stephen Lawrence. Exploring identity, diversity, institutional racism and justice.

Stephen Lawrence: The murder that changed a nation

What made WW1 a truly global war? collection

David Olusoga explores stories of colonial troops serving in World War One in these short films for secondary schools.

What made WW1 a truly global war?

Britain's Forgotten Slave Owners. collection

In this series of short documentary-style films, historian David Olusoga explores new historical evidence of slavery in 1830s Britain.

Britain's Forgotten Slave Owners

Migration. collection

A series of short films in which historian David Olusoga investigates the lives and experiences of migrants to and from Britain throughout history.

Migration

Immigration to London from Ghana and Jamaica. video

Teenager Elliott talks to his grandfather about his first impressions of London as an immigrant from Ghana and his grandmother about the racism they experienced because of their mixed race marriage.

Immigration to London from Ghana and Jamaica

'Checking Out Me History' by John Agard. video

John Agard explores and performs his poem 'Checking Out Me History'.

'Checking Out Me History' by John Agard

The American Civil War. video

Andrew Marr analyses 1860s America and the American Civil War, explaining how the conflict, and Abraham Lincoln, changed American history forever.

The American Civil War

The origins of blues and ragtime. video

Howard Goodall explores the origins of blues music and ragtime and looks at how the invention of recorded music popularised folk and spiritual African American music.

The origins of blues and ragtime

Nelson Mandela - Freedom fighter and South Africa's first black president. video

Sir Trevor McDonald reports on Nelson Mandela, who went from freedom fighter to become South Africa's first black president.

Nelson Mandela - Freedom fighter and South Africa's first black president

Dr Martin Luther King - American Civil Rights leader. video

Sanjeev Bhaskar finds out how Dr Martin Luther King advanced the Civil Rights movement in America through non-violent resistance.

Dr Martin Luther King - American Civil Rights leader

Maggie Aderin-Pocock: Becoming a space scientist. video

Space scientist Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock explains why being different is no barrier to success if you are passionate about something.

Maggie Aderin-Pocock: Becoming a space scientist

Ronnie Ochero: Becoming a games artist. video

Ronnie Ochero turned his childhood obsession of playing video games into a career, by making them. For Ronnie, it was a natural process to go from playing games to inventing them.

Ronnie Ochero: Becoming a games artist

Aiyshat Akanbi: Becoming a fashion stylist. video

Meet Aiyshat Akanbi. She鈥檚 a determined, fashion-forward young stylist. In this short film we see her attention to detail and passion for fabric and colour put to good use, as we follow her at work designing 鈥榯our鈥 looks for her client, the rapper Labrinth.

Aiyshat Akanbi: Becoming a fashion stylist

Ade Adepitan: Becoming a Paralympic champion. video

Paralympic champion Ade Adepitan explains that he lost the use of his legs as a result of childhood polio, but decided to become an athlete after becoming obsessed with the Olympic Games as a boy.

Ade Adepitan: Becoming a Paralympic champion

Christine Ohuruogu: Becoming an Olympic champion. video

In her own words, Christine Ohuruogu tells the story of how she became a top athlete.

Christine Ohuruogu: Becoming an Olympic champion

Across the 大象传媒

Newsround

How Black History month is celebrated around the world

Newsround

C大象传媒 - Black History Month. collection

Discover Black History Month with clips, quizzes and stories from across C大象传媒

C大象传媒 - Black History Month

Horrible Histories - Black History Month. video

In celebration of Black History Month, Oti Mabuse brings you a selection of Horrible Histories sketches and songs featuring Rosa Parks, Civil War spy Mary Bowser, pioneering boxer Bill Richmond, plus Mary Seacole and Martin Luther King Jr.

Horrible Histories - Black History Month

CBeebies - Dads and daughters discuss history and identity. video

On this CBeebies page, younger pupils can watch dads and daughters discussing everything from Rosa Parks to the Jamaican football team.

CBeebies - Dads and daughters discuss history and identity

Newsround - What was the slave trade? document

This Newsround guide offers an introduction to the slave trade, including how slaves were treated and how slavery was abolished.

Newsround - What was the slave trade?

Newsround special on US protests and racism (9 June 2020) video

De-Graft Mensah presents a Newsround special all about fairness, protest and people coming together to reject racism.

Newsround special on US protests and racism (9 June 2020)

Watch again: Authors Live - Catherine Johnson. video

Watch with your class to find out how history can inspire creative writing. Catherine Johnson is an award-winning author and screenwriter who has used historical settings in many of her novels 鈥 and she reveals some of her secrets! Designed for schools in Scotland, P5 鈥 S2.

Watch again: Authors Live - Catherine Johnson

大象传媒 Radio 1xtra celebrates Black History Month. collection

Celebrating African and Caribbean heritage, watch and listen to documentaries and interviews with Jazzie B, Alexandra Burke and Labrinth.

大象传媒 Radio 1xtra celebrates Black History Month