Black History Month 2024: What is it & How Do I Celebrate?

Jack Hayes

Director

Friday, January 5, 2024 - 16:32

5 minutes to read

October 1st 2024 marks the beginning of Black History Month, widely regarded as one of the most prominent cultural celebrations of the year. Honouring the contributions made to society by people of Black heritage and their communities, Black History Month is a time to educate and enrich the world with the importance of Black history.

“Almost always, the creative dedicated minority has made the world better” - Martin Luther King Jr

What is Black History Month?

Black History Month is the annual celebration and commemoration of moments in history, achievements and contributions that Black people have made.

First brought to the UK in the 1980s, Black History Month was initially introduced to the country by a member of the Greater London Council, Akyaaba Addai Sebo. Since 1987, Black History Month has been celebrated annually in the UK, to eradicate discrimination and encourage racial equality.

Source: Evening Standard

Why is Black History Month Important?

Studies revealed that 60% of Black professionals still experience racism in the workplace, so a key motivator behind Black History Month is to highlight how people from such communities have made pivotal contributions to society.

It has also been reported that 25% of people find that assumptions are made about their abilities, character or behaviour due to their race. Such statistics emphasise the importance of Black History Month, as the event brings to light how Black people are both uncredited in our history books and undervalued in the workplace.

How Do I Celebrate Black History Month?

Feeling inspired to celebrate this Black History Month? There are many ways you can pay tribute, see our top three ways to celebrate below:

1. Raise money for charity

A great way to celebrate is to raise money for a charity that is dedicated to helping people of Black or ethnic minority backgrounds. Hold a bake sale, sponsored bike ride or non-uniform day - the list of possibilities is endless, but all have the moral outcome of raising money for incredible causes.

Prominent charities:

2. Champion Diversity and Tackle Discrimination in Your Workforce

An important way to celebrate is by becoming an advocate for diversity and inclusion. Ensuring that people of different races are treated equally should be a top priority in your business, to tackle discrimination and improve the statistics we discussed earlier.

By addressing racism head-on in the workplace you can be a pivotal figure in decreasing the number of Black people suffering such racial injustices. This Black History Month, consider issuing an inclusion statement, outlining your business' stance on racial equality.

3. Hold a Black History Month Event & Book a Speaker

Here at The Motivational Speakers Agency, we have a range of top speakers from Black and ethnic minority communities, each a leading voice on equality. Take a look at our top five Black History Month speakers here:

Akala

"Racism is apparently a card to be played; much like the joker, it's a very versatile card that can be used in any situation that might require it. Only non-white people ever play this card to excuse their own personal failings- even those of us that are materially successful." - Akala

Akala is widely known as a political activist, who champions the Black Lives Matter Movement. Throughout his time in the spotlight, Akala has worked tirelessly to share his powerful story, including his personal experience of racism. Covering topics such as knife crime, rehabilitation and racial inequality, Akala is the perfect choice for Black History Month.

John Barnes

"While we have to take personal responsibility for our actions, I have a great deal of empathy for people who are unconsciously racially biased, and indeed count myself among their numbers" - John Barnes

Esteemed former footballer John Barnes is now forging an impactful reputation as a passionate and powerful campaigner for anti-racism. Having personally experienced racial inequality and racism throughout his career as a footballer, John is an authoritative figure ideal to speak at a Black History Month event.

Piers Linney

"The biggest disappointment from last night is the blatant and unabashed racism. In a moment of misguided anger, the guard is let down and the veil slops. It isn't just football that has a problem. We all have a problem that we need to overcome" - Piers Linney

A prominent figure in the world of start-up businesses, Piers Linney has established a career as an influential businessman. Finding fame as a Dragon on Dragon’s Den, Piers has since spearheaded diversity in business. Voted one of the Top 100 Black Britons, Piers Linney brings pride to Black history.

Elaine Sihera

"You cannot change behaviour without changing attitude, and you cannot change attitude without changing belief, and you cannot change belief without changing perception... and that is the reason why change has been so slow" - Elaine Sihera

Elaine Sihera is widely known by her nickname ‘Miss Diversity’. Founder of the British Diversity Awards, Elaine has continually pioneered the field of diversity to make the world a more inclusive place. Also the founder of the Windrush Achievement Awards, Elaine has made it her life mission to show consideration to individuals and communities who would otherwise be forgotten.

Lenny Henry

"I worked at the BBC for 35 years before I had a meeting with anyone who looks like me. The only people like me were cleaning the corridors, and that is not right" - Lenny Henry

Hilarious comedian Lenny Henry knows first-hand the challenges that face people of minority ethnic descent. Forging his reputation as a comical genius, Lenny is now widely regarded as a pioneer of Black comedy making his breakthrough in a White-washed industry. An influential speaker, Lenny is the perfect choice for Black History Month.

Interested in Booking a Speaker for Black History Month 2024?

Here at The Motivational Speakers Agency, we have a multitude of Black History Month speakers who will help you celebrate the contributions that Black people have made to the world today.

Not sure who to book for your event? Give one of our dedicated agents a call on 0207 0787 876 or fill out our online contact form to find out more information on our incredible speakers.

Director

Jack Hayes

After graduating from his role as a celebrity sales executive to sales manager, Jack Hayes was appointed as a Director of The Motivational Speakers Agency in 2012, becoming a founding member of the European Association of Speakers Bureaux (EASB) in 2013. In his seven years as a company director, Jack has led projects for clients that include Vodafone, Credit Suisse, The Economic Times’ Global Business Summit, British Airways, the Abu Dhabi Global Financial Markets Forum (GFMF), HSBC, Lad Bible and the NHS, in addition to media collaborations with the likes of Metro, The Leicester Mercury, Sky Sports and ITV. Jack has also used his influence to convince the world’s top speakers to choose The Motivational Speakers Agency. He has built relationships with the minds behind global success stories including Tesla co-founder Martin Eberhard; former Google MD Dan Cobley and global adventurer Sir Ranulph Fiennes. With all the speaking opportunities that Jack has facilitated, there is one that stands out above all others as his proudest. When he began as a sales executive, there was one man Jack wanted to book as a speaker more than any other - Apple’s innovative Creative Director, Ken Segall. In 2019, Ken Segall is due to speak at our very own networking event, at London’s iconic skyscraper, Searcys at the Gherkin, proving just how committed Jack is to reaching his lofty aspirations.