For over 30 years, October has become a month of celebrating black history in the UK. There are numerous exciting and interesting opportunities across Edinburgh, exploring and discussing the challenges and experiences faced by the black British and global community.
We’ve picked out our highlights of the rest of this month and with events ranging from movie screenings to discussion panels, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
A screening of Barry Jenkins’ outstanding, Oscar winning film, Moonlight, about the life of Chiron, an African American man from Miami. It explores themes of youth, adolescence, adulthood, sexual identity, race and abuse. A discussion panel shall occur afterwards.
Cameo Cinema, 11 October, 18:00-21:00. Tickets: £7, purchased on the Picturehouse website,
FilmSoc and PrideSoc will be screening the documentary film Major! about the life and activism of Miss Major Griffin Gracy. As a Stonewall rebel, former sex-worker, and Attica State prisoner, her story illuminates and intersects with the LGBTQ struggle for equality from the 1960s.
50 George Square, 18 October, 18:00-20:00. Free for members, £3 otherwise.
A screening of the 1981 cult film, Babylon, presenting an exploration of the West Indian community in 1970s London. The movie includes themes of music, police violence, and poverty. An open discussion shall follow covering these important topics.
50 George Square, 20 October, 18:00-20:00. Free entry.
Black Gold, a club night featuring the music of some of the greatest black artists has been organised by the BME campaign and Edinburgh’s African Caribbean Society. With tunes ranging from Aretha Franklin to Beyoncé, it is sure to be a great night to celebrate Black History Month.
The Wee Red Bar, 27 October, 22:30-03:00.
A Black British History Workshop will focus on the role of black British individuals in shaping the UK and the world. Bring laptops, pens, and paper to partake in the research.
50 George Square, 11 October, 18:00-20:00.
Sir Geoff Palmer O.B.E. will lead a pioneering lecture and Q&A session on Edinburgh and the Slave Trade: The True Cost of the New Town. It will discuss Scotland’s gains from the slave trade and its role in the economic stimulation of Edinburgh in the 18th century.
Canongate Kirk, 25 October, 18:00-19:00. Tickets available on the Edinburgh World Heritage website.
Edinburgh’s Caribbean Association will host walking-tours across the city, exploring the entrenched but little-known connections with Africa, Asia and the Caribbean from the Tudor period to the present.
Dundas Statue, St Andrew’s Square, every Sunday in October, 14:00. Free.
Herstory: A Photo-Biographic Exhibition showcases ethnic minority women who are studying at the University of Edinburgh. Their portraits will include descriptions of the students and their experiences as well as their opinions on identity.
Potterrow Dome, 10-14 October. Free.
Image Credit: Skitterphoto via Pixabay