Events this October
Some events may require booking.
H&F honours five with blue plaque unveiling
Tuesday 1 October, 11am, 57 Castletown Road, W12 9HG - This event has now passed
This address in H&F has, at one point or another, been home to 5 Black influential figures:
- Marcus and Amy Garvey
- Jomo Kenyetta
- Ladipo Solanke
- Malcolm X.
Join us and Nubian Jak Community Trust in immortalising them with a blue plaque.
Or read all about their histories: Remarkable West Kensington house to get blue plaques for its Black history.
The Church & the plantations: talk by Eleanor Hex
Thursday 3 October, 1pm to 2pm, Fulham Palace - This event has now passed
Eleanor's work aims to shed new light on the lives of enslaved people, offering a perspective that seeks to restore their agency that's often overlooked in traditional archival narratives.
Black History Month 2024 Outdoor Celebration
Saturday 5 October, 11am to 5pm, Lyric Square -This event has now passed
Join us for a day celebrating some of the great impact our local Black historic figures have had on the arts scene.
With musical, theatrical and lyrical performances throughout the day.
Find more about Black History Month 2024 Outdoor Celebration.
Black History Month guided walk
Saturday 5 October, 11am, Hammersmith BID - This event has now passed
On this walk we'll meet:
- the founder of Afrobeat
- a spiritual poet who inspired Mahatma Gandhi
- a famous concert venue
- and an important record label for Caribbean music.
Kindred x Strangers in the City's Community Dinner
Monday 7 October, 7pm, Kindred Hammersmith - This event has now passed
In celebration of Black History Month, Kindred is partnering with Strangers in the City, alongside St. Best Jamaican Cuisine, for one big community dinner.
Entry is by ballot, and only 1 ticket can be requested per person. Successful ballot entrants will be notified by 5pm on Tuesday 1st October, entering the ballot does not guarantee you a place.
Theatre: A Raisin in the Sun
From 8 October, Lyric Hammersmith
In a rented apartment on Chicago's South Side, the Younger family is full of hope, dreams, grief, and big plans.
Their beloved father has died, and the money from his life insurance policy could change their lives.
Irish People of Colour: Professor Dame Elizabeth Nneka Anionwu in conversation with authors Conrad Koza Bryan and Dr Chamion Caballero
Wednesday 9 October, 7pm, Irish Cultural Centre -This event has now passed
Drawing on fragmented evidence and evocative imagery from the period.
Conrad Koza Bryan and Dr Chamion Caballero have created the first social history book about Irish people of colour in the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries.
This event is FREE to attend but booking is required.
Entangled Islands: Ireland & The Caribbean
From 9 October, Irish Cultural Centre
Discover 400 years of Irish links to the Caribbean.
Find out more about Entangled Islands: Ireland & The Caribbean
An African abolitionist at Fulham Palace: talk by Dr Joseph Yannielli
Thursday 10 October, 1pm, Fulham Palace -This event has now passed
The Reverend Augustus Hanson (1815 to 1862) was, among other things, an Underground Railroad conductor, abolitionist, scholar and one of the first European diplomats of African descent.
Yet he is largely absent from both history.
Dr Yannielli asks what we can learn by recovering the life, travels and broader context of this pivotal figure.
Book your ticket for An African abolitionist at Fulham Palace
Author event: Reclaiming Narratives with Monica Clarke
Thursday 10 October, 6pm, Hammersmith Library -This event has now passed
Join author Monica Clarke for an interactive spoken word presentation, based around her book Hottentot Venus: the Story of Saartjie Baartman.
Monica will detail the sad story of her historical ancestor Saartjie Baartman, who was trafficked in 1810 and put on display at Piccadilly Circus in London, before being sold to a French animal keeper who had her standing in a cage in Paris, where she died in 1815.
Written in the first person, Hottentot Venus, gives Saartjie herself a chance to tell her narrative for the first time.
Exhibition and networking event: Immersive
Friday 11 October, 12 noon, Invention Rooms, White City, W12 7RH -This event has now passed
Celebrate inclusion, accessibility and diversity this Black History Month with Imperial College London's Agents of Change programme.
Film: Turning Point + Q&A
Saturday 19 October, 2pm, Riverside Studios -This event has now passed
Turning Point is a Black heritage comedy melodrama that tells the story of four individuals in 1920s Barbados and Jamaica.
Inspired by oral histories about the Black Caribbean experience after the First World War.
Author event: The Power of the Pen
Wednesday 23 October, 2:30pm, Macbeth Centre, Macbeth Street, W6 9JJ -This event has now passed
Esua Jane Goldsmith and Olamide Awonubi will discuss creativity and their journey as authors. They'll also read from their recent books and host a Q&A session.
Author event: Multifaceted with Kieron Blake
Wednesday 23 October, 6pm, Shepherds Bush Library -This event has now passed
Exploring race, identity and love, Kieron Blake shares his perspective on family, friendship, relationships and life, from heartbreak to euphoria.
Kieron was part of the 2019 the Future is Back writers' cohort for Spread the Word. His work has been published Spread the Word's anthology 'Out of the Basement' and has also had his article Black European published in The London Reader magazine.
To book your space call 020 8753 3842 or email shepherdsbushlibrary@lbhf.gov.uk
Fulham Palace & seeds of sedition: talk with Akosua Paries-Osei
Thursday 24 October, 7pm, Fulham Palace -This event has now passed
Join Akosua Paries-Osei as she connects her research into the medical use of botanicals by enslaved African women with English plant collectors like Bishop Compton who grew plants from all over the world at Fulham Palace.
Find out more and book your ticket for Fulham Place & seeds of sedition
For the Culture: Celebrations of Blackness
Thursday 24 to Saturday 26 October, Lyric Hammersmith -This event has now passed
The Lyric Hammersmith will be the beating heart of west London this October with a bold programme of performances, gigs, and special events celebrating Black talent, joy, creativity, and culture.
Find out more and book tickets for For the Culture: Celebrations of Blackness
'No Irish, No Blacks, No Dogs': Migration, Refugees and the Climate Crisis
Friday 25 October, 7:30pm, Irish Cultural Centre -This event has now passed
An evening of music, song and discussion.
Expert speakers will answer your questions and hear your views on whether migration can be seen as the solution and not the problem for us and for future generations.
Children's Author Event: A Home for Mr No-Roach with Dr. Velma McClymont
Monday 28 October, 11am, Shepherds Bush Library
Join Jamaican-born British author, poet, and community activist, Dr. Velma McClymont, for a reading from her new children's picture book A Home for Mr No-Roach.
The tale is told in the Anancy story tradition from the Caribbean, exploring themes of different cultures, friendship, homelessness, migration and identity.
Suitable for ages 5 to 8.
To book your space call 020 8753 3842 or email shepherdsbushlibrary@lbhf.gov.uk
Heads and Tails: A southern African storytelling spectacle
Monday 28 October, 11am, Fulham Library
Tuesday 29 October, 2pm, Hammersmith Library
Wednesday 30 October, 2:30pm, Shepherds Bush Library
Heads and Tails is an interactive storytelling performance, exploring the folklore and fables of African animals.
Many of the stories are moral tales that echo community values such as respect, kindness, tolerance and caring for the environment.
Suitable for all the family!
Storytelling and craft session with Kamapala Chukwuka
Tuesday 29 October, 11am, Fulham Library
Join award-winning children's author, Kamapala Chukwuka for a fun-packed story session and craft event.
Kamapala's books are filled with positive morals of kindness, patience, love, confidence and more. Her sessions will inspire kids and grownups alike to be kinder and more accepting of others.
Signed copies of her books will be available for purchase at £6 each.
Suitable for ages 4+.
Theatre: Slave - A Question of Freedom
From 30 October, various times, Riverside Studios
This exceptional award-winning play tells Mende Nazer's inspirational story, from joyful childhood to enslavement.
Her story is told by an outstanding ensemble of eight actor-musicians as a feast of storytelling, music and dance.