Your guide to Sheffield’s Black History Month 2021

Here’s how the Steel City is celebrating


Black History Month (BHM) is celebrated across the UK every October. After 2020’s celebrations were forced online to adhere to Covid restrictions, we are happy to announce that this year, the majority of events will take place in person.

From inspirational talks to club nights and food markets, here’s is your guide to the Black History Month 2021 in Sheffield.

Sheffield Hallam University

The theme of this year’s Black History Month at Sheffield Hallam is “Black Habits”, celebrating “black culture, history, excellence, power, vision, vibes, food, fashion, art and music.”

Starting on the 12th of October, Hallam’s Student Union will be hosting a range of events including networking sessions and talent shows.

For more information, visit Sheffield Hallam’s website.

Race and Racism in the UK: In conversation with David Olusoga OBE, 18th Oct

Broadcaster, film-maker, historian and author of ‘Black and British: a Forgotten History’, David Olusoga has interviewed US president Barack Obama but you can interview him at Hallam this Black History Month. At the event, which takes place on Zoom, he will be giving his perspective on race in the UK. There will opportunities to ask questions which you can send to him ahead of the event via [email protected]

For more information on the event, click here.

Food and culture night, 20th Oct

Hallam’s food and culture night will celebrate black culture by tickling our taste buds. Try signature dishes whilst watching musical, dance and fashion performances. Hallam is looking for societies and students to contribute to the event. Anyone can get involved – just bring your culture’s signature dish and try something new yourself.

For more information on the event, click here.

University of Sheffield 

The Student’s Union Liberation Officer Shona Tulloch, has invited all students to celebrate Uni Of Sheffield’s Black History Month in the form of a carnival.

The carnival will place throughout the SU, with food, performances, music and market stalls from local black owned businesses.

After the celebrations, the SU remains committed to liberation all-year round, under the slogan: “Your identity, your pride.”

For more information visit the university’s website.

Black History month exhibition, Theatre Deli, 14-31st Oct

The Theatre Deli is holding a special exhibition celebrating black visual artists from Sheffield. The exhibition is completely free to visit and is one of many events Theatre Deli is hosting in honour of Black History Month.

Artists will be announced shortly.

For more information, click here.

The ADIRA African-Caribbean Market, 25-30 Oct

ADIRA means “strong, dignified and powerful” in Hebrew. The organisation spearheads mental health and well-being activism for Sheffield’s black community. They encourage young black people to maximise their potential and improve their mental health.

This festival will honour and remember Windrush with the first hand testimonies of the Windrush generation themselves. There will be food stalls, an art exhibition, a black history archive, a human library in the Moor Market and live performances from African poets and dancers.

For more information, click here.

Can I Touch Your Hair? Presented by Lekhani Chirwa, Theatre Deli, 14th Oct

This one woman show from actress and writer Lekhani Chirwa is a confident, funny look on cultural appropriation in the UK, exploring the micro aggressions, struggles and most importantly, the celebrations, the theatre piece will take you through Lekhani’s hair journey from problems to pride.

The show follows Lekhani’s longest lasting relationship, which is with her hairdresser, from her youth as a mixed race girl in Cumbria to today, a confident black woman.

For more information, click here.

Culture Kitchen, Sheffield Hallam University, 29th Oct

Level Up’s (Hallam’s skills support organisation) first ‘Culture Kitchen’ event is taking place this Black History Month. This event teach attendees how to celebrate black culture through food by teaching them how to cook tasty dishes from Jamaica, Guyana, Nigeria and more. Its guaranteed to be full of flavour.

These are only a few of the amazing events going on throughout Black History Month in Sheffield, so check out what the steel city has to offer-happy celebrating.

For more information, click here.

For more information on Black History Month celebration’s in Sheffield, visit Sheffield Hallam or Uni of Sheff’s websites.

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