“If a race has no history, it has no worthwhile tradition, it becomes a negligible factor in the thought of the world, and it stands in danger of being exterminated.” – Carter G. Woodson.

Join the activities and launch of Black History Month 2022 in Ireland at this event organised by IABS, hosted at IMMA. This is an in person event scheduled for the 5th of October 2022, which aims to celebrate people of African and Black backgrounds in Ireland.

Black History Month is an annual celebration of the history, lives and culture of the African diaspora. Black History Month is celebrated in Ireland and the UK from the 1 to the 31 of October, and in February in North America.

The theme of this year’s Black History Month in Ireland is ‘Celebrating Black Excellence: Looking Back to Shape the Future’. Ireland has its own theme which has been developed to suit the unique position of the Black, Brown, African and African Irish communities in Ireland. Please feel free to use and share this theme with your colleagues and build your Black History Month event around it.

As an initiative of IABS, Institute Of Antiracism and Black Studies, in collaboration with IMMA and various Black and Mixed race organisations and groups in Ireland, including I am Irish, UNPAD, Black Social Workers Ireland, Black and Irish.

The launch will feature the following:

• Meet and greet combined with a session of African storytelling and sharing of proverbs with light African refreshments from 1:00-2:00;
• A panel discussion where the past and the future will be speaking to each other.
• Antiquarian, Felix O’Neill with rare original pieces signed by Frederick Douglass, Daniel O’Connell, Wilberforce among other notable figures and rare pamphlets!
• A keynote speech by Dr Wilkins on the Xenogenesis project at IMMA and black history.
• Music, spoken word and cultural dances.