Black History Isn’t a Side Note!
Southampton Alumni Agents Abdullahi (left) and Safa (right), founders of One Voice, Many Stories. Photo by Octagon Theatre.
Black History Month exists for good reason, to push back against centuries of erasure. But at The Agency, we refuse to act like Black excellence only deserves 31 days of airtime.
Every October, the hashtags roll out. A quick collage of famous Black faces. A panel discussion. A slogan slapped on a poster. Then November hits, and the spotlight quietly shifts somewhere else. That’s not a real celebration. That’s a time slot. And we refuse to play into the idea that Black brilliance steps forward for a month and then steps aside.
Because Black history isn’t a “special October feature” of British life. It is British history. Britain built its wealth through colonisation and the slave trade. Black workers rebuilt industries after the war. Black culture has shaped and continues to shape music, sport, art, politics, and communities across the country. Black stories run through every chapter of how this nation was made.
For many of our Alumni, October also brings a flood of requests. Malorie Blackman nailed it back in 2020 when she wrote:
“Okay, here it is. To all those stuffing my inbox with requests to do stuff for Black History Month, please note I'm Black all year round and am happy to consider doing stuff all year round. You don't need to try & cram all your requests & activities into October.”
While we encourage and support Alumni to take opportunities at any time of year, those opportunities must be consistent, valued, and properly paid.
As Naomi, one of our Alumni and Steering Group Member, puts it:
“October’s important, but my expertise and lived experience don’t fit into one month. What I need and what The Agency gave me is space, support, and recognition all year round.”
And she’s not alone. Across The Agency, Alumni are leading transformative projects all year: Osmond’s Life is What U Make It is challenging young people to think differently; Safa and Abdullahi, from Bolton, turned her idea into One Voice, Many Stories, a platform for community voices; Ade, in Manchester, now a Steering Group member and Peer Mentor, is relaunching his project Something to Say; Dorcas founded Kulture Fest in Manchester; Divine, in London, created Spot the Light and now stepping into a Peer Mentor role; and Djibril launched I Speak Football, using sport as a tool for connection and change
London Alumni Agent Osmond (right) explaining his boardgame ‘Life is What You Make It’ to Loose Women’s Brenda Edwards (left). Photographed at the ceremony of Young Hero Award, National Lottery.
That’s why our approach is simple: we celebrate Black creativity, leadership, and excellence every single day. Our Agents and Alumni, many of whom are Black are driving projects, leading teams, and reshaping communities right now. That work doesn’t start on 1 October and stop on 31 October. We’re always building new histories.
Yes, Black History Month is an important moment to amplify. But the real responsibility is making sure visibility, recognition, and opportunity aren’t seasonal. They’re built into the way we and others work.
At The Agency, Black brilliance isn’t a campaign. It’s the backbone of everything we do. We love funders, partners and cultural organisations that invest in Black leadership and creativity as an everyday principle, not an annual campaign.
If you want to go deeper, here are some of the books, podcasts and platforms we rate:
Books & Memoirs (links to mostly Black owned bookstores)
Podcasts & Audio
Organisations & Platforms
The Black Curriculum, brilliant resources (especially for educators, but the themes reach far wider).
Everyday Racism, powerful books, training and campaigns.
Museumand: The National Caribbean Heritage Museum, UK-based museum dedicated to Caribbean heritage.
This list is far from complete but it’s a start.
Enjoyed this read? Read our series ‘Faces of Change’ here and keep an eye out for more! 
