Black History Features

MB65FY Foster mother Mrs Sybil Phoenix with some of her children in Lewisham in January 1973 the year she became the first black woman to receive an MBE.

The Inspiring Legacy of Reverend Sybil Phoenix OBE

In a world where the winds of history often blow harshly on those least able to protect themselves,…


Westmaas Family l_r David Donald Denis Rory

The Westmaas Family

George Hamilton Westmaas and his wife Winifred raised eight boys in Georgetown, Guyana (then British Guiana). George’s grandson,…


1986: Diane Abbott, the new labour MP for Hackney and Stoke Newington makes history today (12/6/87). Miss Abbott, 32, a Cambridge graduate and a member of Labour's hard left, becomes the country's first black woman MP. Picture taken 18/2/86 when she was an equality officer for the union ACTT.

Diane Abbott: A Legacy of Courage, Change, and Endurance

In a political landscape that often marginalises those who dare to be different, Diane Abbott has stood tall…


Videos & Film VIEW ALL

Black History Month

2026 LISTINGS

Lewisham Tuesday 28 April – Saturday 16 May 2026

The Last Black Messiah

The Last Black Messiah, written by Emeka Agada and directed by award-nominated theatre-maker Nathaniel Brimmer-Beller, comes to The…

Norfolk Tuesday 28 April to Saturday 2 May 2026

To Kill a Mockingbird

Aaron Sorkin’s award-winning stage adaptation of To Kill a Mockingbird comes to the stage as part of a…