Black History Month

This year the theme is Standing Firm in Power and Pride, a powerful tribute to the resilience, strength, and unwavering commitment to progress that defines the Black community across the globe. This year, the theme highlights the profound contributions made by Black people, be they leaders, activists, or pioneers who have shaped history, while also looking towards a future of continued empowerment, unity, and growth.

From rebellions that challenged the institution of slavery to the movements that laid the groundwork for abolition, Black people have consistently exercised courage, vision, and agency. On both sides of the Atlantic, civil rights movements were propelled by Black communities who marched, organised, and demanded change — winning victories that reshaped laws and societies.

That power continues into the present, even when it faces resistance. In the United States, backlash against diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) has led some companies to scale back programmes supporting Black employees and communities. Activists have responded with the economic strength of the “Black dollar,” calling for boycotts and reinvestment in Black-owned businesses.

Here in the UK, similar movements are unfolding. Campaigners have urged the Black community to buy hair products only from Black-owned stores — a call for economic empowerment rooted in solidarity, echoed in the rallying cry #NoMoreCrumbs. The tradition of using economic action as a tool of empowerment has deep roots here: from the 1963 Bristol Bus Boycott, which challenged racist hiring practices, to Claudia Jones establishing the Notting Hill Carnival as a celebration of culture and pride.

The writer Alice Walker once observed, “The most common way people give up their power is by thinking they don’t have any.” It is a reminder that resonates powerfully with this year’s theme.

The message of this year’s Black History Month is clear: unity is strength. Despite challenges and differences, there is beauty and power in shared heritage. And so, as the community reflects on its history, it is also being called to action — to embrace that power, to speak it loudly, and to stand together in unity and pride.

The question “What power?” has only one answer: the power we have always held — to resist, to create, to lead, and to inspire. This month, and every month, we stand firm in that power. And we take pride in it.