OXFORDSHIRE’s cultural history is set to come alive as the city’s Black History Month gets under way tomorrow.

The annual event brings people together to remember the region’s African and African-Caribbean roots.

Junie James, from the Oxford-based African and African Caribbean Kultural Heritage Initiative (Ackhi), co-ordinates the event and believes this year’s will be bigger than ever.

She said: “We have something for everyone, from art exhibitions to live music and educational conferences.

“We are trying to make it more county-based every year, so not just people from the city can get involved.”

The festivities begin tomorrow with a special exhibition dedicated to ‘phenomenal women’ at Fusion Arts in the East Oxford Community Centre.

Ms James said: “The exhibition looks at women who have made something of themselves when nothing was expected of them.

“So it looks at African women in Oxfordshire who became teachers, lawyers and inspirations to others.”

The month then continues with poetry readings, art exhibitions, live music and plays.

Other highlights include a film screening of Hollywood actor Chris Rock’s exploration of African-American hairstyles and a Brazilian carnival arts workshop at Pegasus Theatre in Magdalen Road, East Oxford.

There will also be a special tribute to Jean Pearse, a “pioneering force in the Caribbean community in Oxford”, who died in June.

Mrs Pearse set up the Blackbird Leys Saturday School in the 1970s. It is still running today.

Black History Month dates back to 1926, when American Carter Woodson created Negro History Week to celebrate the achievements of people from African descent.

And although it originally had strong political undertones, the event has since become more of a cultural landmark, Ms James said.

She said it was important for the people in Oxfordshire to take their chance to remember African culture.

She said: “African history should be celebrated because in terms of the continent as a whole, it is a fundamental and essential part.

“Oxfordshire has a very long African culture and community, but that is not often reflected in the history books.

“We are trying to change that.”

Events in October

  • Oct 1: Caribbean Week in Oxford at Oriel College and Maison Francaise.
  • Oct 1: Exhibition Phenomenal Women at Fusion Arts in East Oxford Community Centre, Princes Street.
  • Oct 2, 10pm: Dance to mark Nigerian Independence Day at The Regal.
  • Oct 4, 4pm: Film Hidden Herstories at The Taylorian Institute.
  • Oct 8, 6pm: Poetry and Music with K2 Khadijatou, and workshop on lyric writing and drumming at Pegasus Theatre.
  • Oct 9, 10am: Workshop on lyric writing and drumming at Pegasus Theatre, and Communist Party Night at Saxon Centre.
  • Oct 11: Exhibition and quiz on Africa, Caribbean and Islamic Heritage at Banbury Library.
  • Oct 12, 4.30pm: Photo competition on Black History at Pitt Rivers Museum.
  • Oct 14: Exhibition and Caribbean art night at Saxon Centre.
  • Oct 15, 7pm: Film Good Hair at St Hilda’s College, and study of African History at Ruskin College in Walton Street.
  • Oct 16: Talk Wilfred Thesiger in Africa at Pitt Rivers Museum, African History at Ruskin College and a film screening at 7pm at East Oxford Community Centre.
  • Oct 17, 10am: Workshop on Nordestino Brazilian Carnival Arts at Pegasus Theatre and African history at Ruskin College.
  • Oct 18: Film screening at the Saxon Centre.
  • Oct 19, 7pm: Play called Render Me My Song at Corpus Christi College Auditorium.
  • Oct 21, 8pm: Play Finding Beulah by Kumba Nia Arts at Pegasus Theatre.
  • Oct 22: Dance at the Saxon Centre and exhibition on the Black Cultural Archive at Ruskin College.
  • Oct 23: Red Gold and Green Party Night at the Saxon Centre and from 10am, poetry, music and food at Ruskin College.
  • Oct 26, 5pm: Talk on the history of Caribbean emancipation at Wadham College, and an exhibition and food from 6pm at Union Street Young People Centre.
  • Oct 27, 5.50pm: Exhibition, quiz and film at Blackbird Leys Youth Centre.
  • Oct 28: Film Kingdom in Ethiopia at the Ashmolean Museum and an open day at East Oxford Community Centre from 11am.
  • Oct 29: Talk Black Inventors at the Saxon Centre, talk Women in Business at the Old Music Hall and roots reggae dance at East Oxford Community Centre.
  • Oct 30, 2pm and 7pm: Music and Dance with Miss P Fundraiser at the Pegasus Theatre.