Liverpool is set to mark Black History Month with a diverse programme of events which honour black heritage, culture and art.
Taking place throughout October, the events will be held at some of the cities most iconic venues, reflecting Liverpool’s ongoing commitment to diversity and representation of all.
Whether you’re wanting to educate yourself, reflect on black history or celebrate the art of black culture, Liverpool offers something for everyone.
Here are 7 ways to celebrate Black History month in the city:
1.BlackFest 2025:
The award-winning festival programme, BlackFest, has already started and carries on until the end of next month. This event spans over some of the biggest venues in the city that showcases music, poetry, theatre and a Fashion Fest finale in collaboration with AfroFashionUK.
This event was created to amplify and celebrate black and minority artists, showcasing the talent of under-represented cultures.
2. More Than Words open mic night
Taking place on Thursday 2nd October a the Everyman Theatre, a Black History Month Special hosted by Brodie Arthur and Leah watson.
A panel discussion and open mic night with performances from PaisleighB, Layla, Cop Dat, Tash, Claire Beej & Tova and more, with special guest panellist and performer Jason McClean, ‘2badda’.
3. The Gathering Pen:
The Gathering Pen writer’s group for people of the global majority in Liverpool. This is an empowering environment to write and share inspiration of Liverpool’s diverse culture an heritage.
This is taking lace up until the 20th November and is held every Thursday evening 6pm-9pm.
This programme is a sharing event which allows writers to perform their work with the community.
4. Dancing Queens:
This event is taking place every Thursday, 7-8pm, hosted by the Black Women’s Health Forum at the African and Caribbean Centre, funded by Cllr Lucille Harvey.
Sessions are free, where individuals can just turn up and register on the day. Donations are to support women in need in the city region.
The event is also collaborating with Katumba to take part in the Katumba Halloween Carnival Parade.
Dancing Queens will run up until Thursday 28th May 2025.
5. Black Maternal Health: Honouring our ancestors
Collective Encounters are hosting an exhibition of previously unseen creative material produced in Culture Liverpool’s Black Maternal Health Project.
This event reflects on themes of migration through the lens of Black maternal health. Colloborating with Liverpool John Moores University, the work draws a connection between historical research into enslaved midwives in the 19th century and differences in maternal mortality and morbidity rates between Black women and women of other racial groups.
The exhibition also features a ‘Hey Mama’ leaflet for Black women on maternity wards, offering peer-informed guidance and support. Visitors can sign up to join our Black Maternal Health Group, which meets to discuss future solutions.
6. The African Diaspora: Intellectual and Artistic Responses to Slavery and its Legacies
On Wednsday 1st October, there is an opportunity to join the second webinar as part of new online seminar series, , Legacies of Enslavement: Transatlantic Dialogues on History and Justice.
This is a discussion between three experts both the UK and the US where they will talk about how the impact of the Transatlantic slave trade is seen intellectually and artistically by contemporary and modern figures.
7. Liverpool and Slavery Walking tour
This tour was developed and inspired by our Dorothy Kuya Archive Project, in collaboration with National Museums Liverpool.
On Saturday 4th October, the Slavery Walking tour will explore the sites and streets with direct links to the Transatlantic Slave Trade in Liverpool city centre. There also discussions of the depth of the city’s connections to the trade of enslaved Africans and the goods they produced long after its abolition in Britain.
Starting at The Pump House, the tour will then cover the L1 and L2 districts, ending at Liverpool Town Hall.
These are just some of many ways to celebrate Black History Month in Liverpool this year. Get down to some of the cities big venues to educate and honour black individuals in the community.
