Twenty-five years of Black History Month in Scotland

Black History Month closes with screening of Like Water at the Southside’s Rum Shack on Tuesday 27 October.

Scotland’s Black History Month reaches its 25th year this October. The Coalition for Racial Equality and Rights (CRER) began coordinating a uniquely Scottish programme from Glasgow in 2001.

Black History Month in Scotland was built from the ground up. It grew out of communities building solidarity through shared experience and collective action, taking the lead from the inclusive UK approach established in 1987 by Ansel Wong, Akyaaba Addai-Sebo, Cllr. Linda Bellos, Cllr. Narendra Makanji and Bernard Wiltshire of the Greater London Council.

Twenty-five years on, the conditions that made that work necessary have not gone away. This summer saw far-right rallies in Glasgow, racist attacks on people going about their day, and disinformation used to turn fear into hostility towards migrants and minority ethnic communities.

Sandra Deslandes-Clark, Chair of the Board at CRER, said: “Black History Month in Scotland began as anti-racist organising, and that is what it remains. This summer has shown exactly why that work is still needed. We use Black History Month to deepen conversations that should be happening all year; one month is not enough. These stories are still largely absent from our history books and education system, and we campaign to change this year-round.”

Over 25 years, understanding of Scotland’s connections to colonialism, slavery and empire has shifted substantially. CRER’s Glasgow Black History Walking Tour has run throughout, taking participants through the city’s mercantile past and the links between its built environment, tobacco, sugar, slavery and the abolition movement.

The 2026 programme runs across Scotland throughout October, with almost 80 events from organisations and individuals, including tours, talks, workshops, exhibitions and film screenings. Most events are free, and all of CRER’s own events are.

CRER’s own events in Glasgow include its Glasgow Black History Walking Tour, running on 18th, 25th and 28th October. There is a screening of We Are Nature with a discussion panel at Kelvin Hall on 25th October, and Samantha Likonde’s Afrosurrealist short film Like Water screens at The Rum Shack on 27th October from 7-10pm. Screening will take place every 30 minutes. Tickets can be bought here.

The full programme is at blackhistorymonthscotland.org.