In 1926 Carter G Woodson, a Black History Scholar and historian in the USA, created Negro History Week.
It started as a holiday to address the needs in the Black community that stemmed
from living in a nation that taught the sub-humanity of Black people.
In Britain Black History Month was first
celebrated in October 1987 as part of African Jubilee year. It has since grown to recognise and embrace the contributions
and traditions of other Black communities.
Why celebrate Black History Month in Cambridge?
As human beings, we are becoming increasingly aware that our world has become a global village and that lessons learned in one place have an impact in another.
Cambridge is a world city where the promotion of collective cultural esteem, and not just personal
self-esteem, makes Black history necessary every day of the year for all of us who live in such a diverse city.
City
Council Chief Executive Rob Hammond has said "Black History Month’s importance to Cambridge is to understand our shared
histories. And as a city, appreciating how different and dynamic cultural currents are always changing the way we live in
an increasingly diverse city.
"As such Black History Month is a wonderful opportunity to remind ourselves of the importance of the contribution of many people of diverse backgrounds from the past to the present and how they have shaped and continue to mould Cambridge's place in the world."