Black History Month 2026

Black History Month webpages

More information about Black History Month, including introductions to this years theme (Honouring Our Communities) can be found on the Black History Month website.

University of Exeter

Library

The University of Exeter Library is proudly celebrating Black History Month with their Black History Collections which you can find on their Lib Guide pages. 

They have also put together a Black History Month Reading List which has a range of books as well as film and television resources for you to explore. 

They are also pleased to highlight their Archival Black History Research resource.

All items are freely available for use by all staff and students all year round, and the library team are always keen to hear feedback and suggestions on these lists and resources, and to expand the texts they have available. We hope there is something interesting and new in these resources for everyone. 

Bill Douglas Cinema Museum

Black Screen History: A Tale of Trailblazing Talent, Tribulation, Trials and Triumph

The Bill Douglas Cinema Museum has a permanent exhibition celebrating Black screen history in the Upper Gallery of the museum on the Streatham campus. The exhibition, created after feedback at a community Black History Month event in 2021 was curated by student intern Chloe Jarrett-Bell, and expanded further by Chloe in 2024.

Read Chloe’s blog on curating the display and her digital exhibitions and podcasts on Black Screen History.

The exhibition can be visited in the upper gallery of the Bill Douglas Museum on Streatham campus.

Free entry, no ticket required.

Revisit past resources

Pre-Recorded Academic Lecture Series

There are 16 lecture recordings available on a number of topics, all produced by Exeter University academics and PhD students. These are appropriate for a wide audience. Check out the topics available and dive in!

Student Voices Blogs

You may wish to revisit these fantastic essays written last year by current students about their lived experience as Black students at the University of Exeter. 
As well as reading those at the link above, you can also check out the videos from previous years by some of our students sharing what makes them 'Proud To Be'. 

Black History Month at The Students' Union

Last year, The Students' Union in Cornwall hosted 'BHM: Conversations That Count' with members of the Cornwall student community. You can hear these conversations on their website.

The Students' Guild Black History Month microsite

Connect 

Staff Networks

• The Collective for Racial Justice (Formerly called the BME Network) Open to staff and students across our campuses.
• List of other Equality Networks / Societies

Student Societies (Devon)

• African and Caribbean Society Student's Guild page.
• Students of Colour Assosciation Student's Guild page.
• The Collective for Racial Justice (Formerly called the BME Network). Open to staff and students across our campuses. Join form here
• Students Of Colour Community Feed
• Full list of Exeter student societies 

Student Societies (Cornwall)

• African Caribbean Society and the Exeter and Falmouth ACS Instagram
• The Collective for Racial Justice (Formerly called the BME Network). Open to staff and students across our campuses. 
• Full list of Cornwall student societies

Support

Nilaari: A counselling service for our Black, Asian and minority ethnic community

The service is a culturally appropriate counselling service based in Bristol who provide help and support for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people. Their counsellors are trained and qualified in the same way as our own University Wellbeing staff, with whom they meet regularly to ensure a joined up approach to student support.

Nilaari offer a range of therapies for Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic people experiencing:

• stress and worry
• general anxiety and depression
• low self-esteem and low confidence

 As with many services in this sector, there may be a waitlist for accessing support. Please avail yourself of other support should you need while you wait. Information about central wellbeing is at the bottom of this list, plus do reach out to your GP or urgent services shoudl you require. 

Black, African and Asian Therapy Network

This site has a list of free services available throughout the UK which offer counselling specifically set up to serve the BAME community. Many of these services encourage you to self-refer but if you are unsure your GP/doctor can signpost or assist you with a referral.

BEAT Eating Disorders

BEAT Eating Disorders are a charity, and have collated research and videos to tackle perceptions & media stereotypes around eating disorders, and to show that diverse communities are just as affected.

Aspire2inspire Dyslexia

Aspire2inspire Dyslexia have a series of podcasts aimed at the BAME community about dyslexia, and aim to raise awareness within the local community of Dyslexia and several other learning difficulties. 

Menopause Whilst Black

Menopause Whist Black by Karen Arthur is a series of podcasts opening the long overdue conversation about diversity in menopause, and places the experience of Black, British women of the menopause front and centre by sharing their stories - positive and negative. 

Black Out UK

BlackOut UK is a not-for-profit social enterprise run and owned by a volunteer collective of Black gay men, for Black queer men. It focusses on the need to talk; to each other and to the communities we are part of. It is a space to think, shout, show off, curse, celebrate, laugh, reflect and share, to hear and to be heard.

Therapy for Black Girls

Therapy for Black Girls seeks to break down the barriers experienced by Black women in accessing therapy, and in finding a therapist who understands their experience, and can provide compassionate and constructive support. As well as a Find a Therapist portal and mailing list, there are also other resources including blog posts and a podcast (also available on Spotify).

Togetherall

You can request online counselling with a BAME practitioner from Togetherall upon referral from Wellbeing Services. Referral can be discussed by booking an appointment with a Wellbeing advisor, or contacting using the information below. 

University Student Wellbeing

The Wellbeing Service provide free advice, guidance and support for students. If you are based on our Cornwall campuses, please visit the Cornwall wellbeing pages.
Students can access our service remotely by phone or email, or book in-person appointments.
Students can also access urgent support, on campus or remotely, whenever needed.
Please see our Wellbeing Services summary leaflet for information on the full range of support we have to offer, including urgent support, ILP appointments for disability support.

If you are unsure what support is best for you, please ring us on 01392 724381 or email wellbeing@exeter.ac.uk and we will be happy to help.

University Staff Wellbeing

The Colleague Wellbeing pages have links to available support for University Staff including pages on various avenues for mental health support, Occupational Health and Spectrum Life, the free 24/7 telephone support service.

There is also self-care advice including support for alocohol, drugs, smoking, and sleep, as well as support for support with sickness absence, working with disability.  There is also an extensive A-Z of Wellbeing support to help you connect you with what you may need, even if this information is hosted elsewhere on the University site. Please explore these pages and the tabs across the top should you need any support, and reach out.