Black History Month has been recognised in the United States since 1976, this article by Professor Albert Broussard explains the history and importance of Black History Month and what it represents for the Black community: Click here
In the UK, Black History Month was first celebrated in London in 1987, as part of African Jubilee Year
Check out Wikipedia: Black History Month for more background.
Recognition of Black History Month in North Wales started slowly, but from 2010 organisations in North Wales teamed up with organisations in South Wales with support from the Black Voluntary Sector Network Wales, with funding made available to support a limited number of activities from Arts Council Wales.
In 2010 the newly established North Wales Jamaica Society invited organisations to come together to recognise Black History Month under the Chairmanship of Lamin Touray, supported by Learning Links International (now based in Bangor) and invited Jamaican Black History Activist and Poet, Yasus Afari, to North Wales. Liz Millman from LLI co-orinated a programme of activities involving a range of organisations in North Wales.
For the first time organisations from North Wales joined in the celebration of Black History Month in Cardiff.
In 2017 Race Council Cymru took over the co-ordination of Black History Month activities across Wales.
Since then organisations in based in North Wales have continued to be funded by Arts Council Wales and other funders and a range of activites have taken place. This website continued to recognise most of the activities that have taken place each year since then.
Race Council Cymru has been working towards Black History in Wales 365 days a year, BHW365, however Black History Month brings a UK wide and worldwide focus on the importance in understanding Black History, as part of the efforts to challenge racism.
Since George Floyd's murder in 2020, the Black Lives Matter campaigns have emphasised the importance of understanding Black History in every country, and in the UK there is also a need to recognise our Colonial History.
Black History Month provides a focus across communities, in schools and workplaces, to pause and recognise that more needs to be done, to bring equality for people of all backgrounds.
The BHM2022 site is a great resource and includes a range of resources from across the UK.