‘The SU should do more to advertise and promote it’: We asked students about Black History Month

October is Black History Month, but blink and you might miss it. For such an iconic month, there doesn't seem to be loads on around campus. So for Black History Month this year, we decided to take to the university and ask people what they thought and knew about this time.

The SU told the Royal Holloway Tab: "As part of Black History Month, we ran a number of events which were available to all students and advertised on our website/app/social media/weekly student emails.

"We also had two other events planned which are being rescheduled due to unforeseen circumstances: An evening celebrating the Windrush generation, featuring speakers and performers from the BAME community; and a Gospel Music Showcase which will involve performances by renowned gospel singers/rappers/choirs/groups/musicians from around the country."

Veronika, Postgraduate, Consumption, Culture and Marketing

I think I saw something about Black History Month on the Students' Union calendar which was part of the welcome package, but I was not aware or did not realise that it was currently happening. I don’t really know what it entails as I’m not actively engaging with it.

I think that the African Caribbean Society does a lot on campus in order to raise awareness for Black History Month. It is important to raise awareness of Black History Month, particularly as Royal Holloway is a university with many international students. Also, if the awareness was raised I think that it would be easier to here about events etc due to Royal Holloway being a rather small campus.

Helene & Beatriz, Comparative Literature & Cultural Studies, Management with Marketing, Second Year

We do not really know anything much about Black History Month or what the month is really about.

Whilst we don’t know anything about Black History Month, it is important to raise awareness for it, but the Students' Union has not done enough to promote it. Maybe a way to advertise the historical month is to run workshops or lectures to educate people more about the history behind Black History Month.

Megan, Film, TV, Digital Production, Third year

I am not entirely sure what the month is about, but I think it is about raising awareness for black people and the enslavement they have experienced throughout history.

It is definitely important to raise awareness for the month as it is such as big part of history and black culture. The Students' Union and university raised awareness for the suffragettes and other iconic historical moments in time, then they should do more to advertise and promote Black History Month.

Ibrahim, Politics, Second Year

Black History Month is a chance to celebrate Black History and the contribution the black culture has made to society. With relation to what I think about it, I personally am not a fan of the month as it should not be limited to just one month. Why are we only limited to celebrate and recognise the contribution in October?

Within this university there is not a lot of awareness of this month, but I may not be looking in the right places for the information.

Beatrice, Postgraduate, Marketing

I have heard of Black History Month before, but I was not entirely aware that it was happening right now, I honestly thought that it was in February. I have seen some advertisement of Black History Month but not within the university itself, most recently on Spotify but even after seeing the ad I still don’t really understand exactly what it is about.

I believe that it is really important to raise awareness for this historical month, particularly as many people do not actually seem to know what it is about. Although, I do feel like that there are a lot of events which are organised by the Student Union.

Alisha, English, Second Year

I do not really know a lot about Black History Month and I had no idea that we were currently in Black History Month.

I do think that it is really important to raise more awareness, particularly as today’s society often tends to still separate races in some way or another.

I had no idea that the Students' Union were advertising for Black History Month and therefore they should do a lot more to advertise the month.