October is Black History Month, and the city of Manchester has a wealth of excellent events on offer which both celebrate the city’s rich and diverse heritage and don’t hesitate to ask difficult questions about our past, present and future trajectory. We’ve rounded up a list of five Black History Month events taking place in Manchester this month. There’s definitely something for everyone, from story time and crafts for the whole family, to a fascinating deep dive into representations of race in horror films from HOME – don’t miss out on what Manchester has to offer in opening up these important conversations this October.
This live Zoom event from HOME brings together a diverse panel of speakers who will all offer their insight on the topic of race representation in horror films. In contemporary horror cinema we are seeing an increasing number of films created by, starring and focusing on Black people, life and culture, rather than sidelining these things into supporting roles as in the part. The panel will be hosted by Esther Lisk-Carew, who will be joined by Adam Murray and Liz Chege, and a recording of the event with caption subtitles will be made available shortly after it takes place.
Manchester Libraries are screening a special, one-day-only story time with local author Jade Calder. Jade will read from her new, self-published children’s book. Titled Mummy… What is Black Lives Matter?, the book was inspired by Jade’s experiences of the Black Lives Matter protests with her young daughter. The event promises to be an excellent introduction to the movement, as well as Black History Month generally, for all children.
Local artist Simone will lead some family crafts via Facebook to celebrate Black History Month. On Monday 26 October at 2pm, you can watch and join in at home as Simone guides you through the creation of some fantasy landscapes, and on Wednesday 28 October, Simone will teach viewers how to make a bookmark. This is an engaging and creative way to get the kids involved in Black History Month from home – don’t forget to tune in!
Everyone is missing the experience of live music – and with gig venues currently closed, HOME are doing what they can to bring the experience to you. Their Black History Month Sound Sessions will consist of three exclusive virtual performances from Black artists based in the North West, working across a variety of genres including rap, soul, jazz and trip-hop. The artists and performance dates haven’t been announced yet, so make sure to keep an eye on the HOME website to ensure you don’t miss out on these exclusive special performances…
- Words:
- Amy Callaghan
- Published on:
- Tue 6 Oct 2020
This exhibition from Manchester Central Library focuses on the personal histories and stories of 1st, 2nd and 3rd generation African Caribbeans in Manchester. This is an amazing opportunity to discover personal perspectives from people local to Manchester, and understand the experiences of Windrush generations in our own city. The exhibition will run until the end of the month, and it’s completely free to check out, so make sure to drop in to the library at some point in October and spend some time taking in these stories.