Black History Month 2025
About Black History Month
Black History Month happens every October in the UK and is a key campaign within the University's annual calendar of events. This month is a celebration of Black History, and a launch pad for ongoing activity throughout the year. This year, the theme for Black History Month is 'Standing Firm in Power and Pride'.
About This Year's Theme: Standing Firm in Power and Pride
Each year for Black History Month there is a theme that activity and resources might be centred around. The theme this year is ‘Standing Firm in Power and Pride’. This theme celebrates the contributions of Black activists and leaders to history and progress, and the unity and strength of the Black community worldwide. Read more about this year’s theme and the national Black History Month campaign here.
Want to get involved with racial equity work at the University? Black, Asian and racially minoritised staff and students can join The Collective for Racial Justice (allies can also sign up for updates), and everyone can find out more about our Race Equality Group here.
Our Race Equality Work
As we approach our Race Equality Charter reaccreditation in 2027, we are hard at work with our Race Equality action plan. Visit our dedicated Race Equality Charter Priorities pages, where you can see the breakdown of the five priorities driving the University's race equality work, and how we are going to achieve them.
BHM 2025 events and resources
Click through the tabs below for events happening for Black History Month across our campuses and in the wider community.
If you would like your events and activities to be included and promoted here, or have resources/media or support offerings you think would make good additions to this page, then let us know by emailing details to edi@exeter.ac.uk.
Events
Below is a list of highlight events for BHM 2025. Check back regularly for updated information and new events added throughout the month.
Black History Month 2025 Exhibition: throughout October, Streatham Campus and Penryn Campus
Look out for our Black History Month displays throughout October, which each reflect an aspect of Black British History, spotlighting key pioneers and role models.
In Exeter they will be in the Forum from the 9th-15th, and then in the Library from the 15th-31st. In Cornwall they will be in the Penryn Campus Library.
Black Heroes of Mathematics Conference 2025: 1st-2nd October
2025 is a special year as this is the 100 year anniversary of the first Black person in the world to get a PhD in mathematics. Dr Elbert Cox, an African-American, received his PhD on the 26th September 1925 from Cornell University.
To celebrate this, on the 1st and 2nd October 2025, the Institute of Mathematics and its Applications (IMA), International Centre for Mathematical Sciences (ICMS), Isaac Newton Institute (INI), London Mathematical Society (LMS) and Mathematical Association (MA) will join forces with Big Ideas to deliver not only a mathematical conference but a Black Heroes of Mathematics Youth Festival as well.
The conference will be a hybrid event, and this event will be free to attend across the globe. More info: https://www.lms.ac.uk/events/black-heroes-of-mathematics-conference-2025
Black History in Cornwall Event: Saturday 11th October 2025, St Germans
Hosted by Black Voices Cornwall at at St Germans Priory: explore Cornwall’s links to the transatlantic trade in enslaved African people. Through a fascinating programme of song and spoken word, talks, film and discussion, we will be challenged to think more deeply about these aspects of our history and understand how they continue to influence our lives today. Hear and discuss perspectives from local heritage specialists and Black Voices Cornwall in our afternoon event. In the evening, be moved by Somerset folk legend Reg Meuross and Gambian Kora master Suntou Susso performing their show "Stolen from God", with actor Karen Gledhill telling stories of the trade from across the region through song and spoken word. Also, learn about the role of the Port Eliot estate in the trade and in its abolition. https://www.southeastcornwallarts.co.uk/what-s-on
HASS Creative Writing Workshop: Wednesday 15th October 2025, 2-4pm, Forum Seminar Room 9
Join us for a workshop celebrating Black History Month 2025, to make pieces of art or try your hand at creative writing while learning about influential Black figures in the humanities, arts and social sciences. Materials for collage, painting, drawing, decoupage, and more will be provided. Work created at the workshop will feature in an exhibition in the library.
A History of Hip Hop: Wednesday 15th October, Falmouth, Cornwall
On Wednesday 15 October at 19:00-21:00 at the King Charles the Martyr (KCM) Church in Falmouth, learn about the History of Hip Hop at a free event, chaired by BBC presenter James Coomarasamy. The evening will chart hip hop’s first five decades, from its birth in the block parties of the Bronx and origins in Jamaica, to commercial gangsta-rap, up to today’s artists. Looking at key moments that led the UK to enthusiastically embrace an interpretation of hip-hop, particularly by Afro-Caribbean communities. This event is part of FUTURES, which celebrates innovative and world-class research taking place at universities across the South West. Book here
African Dialogues 1.0: Perspectives on Black History Month
Tuesday, 28 October 2025, 15:00-18:00 GMT/UTC at University of Exeter, Streatham Campus and online
Thursday, 30 October 2025, 17:00-20:00 GMT/UTC at SOAS University, London campus and online
We invite you to participate in a two-day event exploring the theme: Decolonising Afropean entanglements - Extractive industries legacies, material cultures & embodied heritages. This programme is linked to our collaborative grant from the Decolonial Futures programme of the University of Amsterdam Black History Department working with University of Exeter (Camborne School of Mines, Exeter Centre for Research on Africa, Humanities & Social Sciences). Register via this link: https://forms.office.com/e/6ZziueDgfY.
Intersectional events happening over Black History Month
- Women's Conference, 27th September, Penryn Campus: Hosted by the University and Inspiring Women Network, this is a dynamic event designed to empower, inspire, and elevate women in business and leadership roles. Discounted student tickets are available for £2. Find out more: https://www.inspiringwomennetwork.co.uk/conference
Below is a list of learning resources that you can access for BHM 2025!
Black History Month webpages
More information about Black History Month, including introductions to this years theme (Standing Firm in Power and Pride) can be found on the Black History Month website.
University of Exeter
Library
The Exeter University Library is celebrating Black History Month by putting together resources to explore Black history.
The library is proud to promote their Black History and Black Lives Matter Lib Guide pages.
They have also put together a Black History Month BHM Reading and Watching Recs 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 y ear 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
Reflecting on Black History Month: Professor Rajani Naidoo
Read last year's Black History Month reflections from Professor Rajani Naidoo, DVC People & Culture on our 2024 page.
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 X Stonewall
LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall put together a number of resources for Black History Month 2023, including a list of Black LGBTQ+ organisations offering a range of different support for Black LGBTQ+ people and 10 ways to be a better ally to Black LGBTQ+ people.
From the SU BHM microsite (Cornwall, 2023)
Black wellness/wellbeing resources
- The Nap Ministry
- The Black Wellbeing Collective
- Black Yogi Nico Marie
- @blackgirlinom
- @bmhaofficial
- BAME students' mental health support
Allyship and solidarity resources
- Effective Allies Who Take Meaningful Actions
- UK Black Pride
- Smarter in Seconds
- @everydayracism
- Become A Good Ancestor (Layla F. Saad)
- Candice Brathwaite
- Glitch
- @sistahspace_
- gal-dem
- Rachel Cargle
- Temi Mwale
From the SG BHM microsite (Exeter, 2022)
Connect
Staff Networks
- The Collective for Racial Justice (Formerly called the BME Network) Open to staff and students across our campuses.
- International Staff and PG Network
- 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 or DSA-funded mentoring.
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.