Black History Month 2023: How to Celebrate in Newcastle
Celebrate Black History Month in the city with our round-up of gigs, stand-up shows, talks and more
Running for the whole of October, Black History Month is a celebration of the lives and achievements of people from the African diaspora.
This year’s events are arranged around the theme of ‘Saluting Our Sisters’ and will focus on the often-overlooked contributions made by women of colour in all aspects of life - from politics, business and healthcare to society, sport, music and beyond.
In the spirit of Black History Month, we've gathered up a host of events taking place in Newcastle to help you celebrate the occasion so read on for our round-up of black-led music gigs, stand-up comedy nights, talks and more.
Catch a stand-up comedy show
Emerging from social media but perhaps best known for his appearance in the last season of Taskmaster, British-Zimbabwean comedian Munya Chawawa is a quick-witted satirist with a wealth of well-observed comic characters, from posh drill rappers to TV chefs. He plays O2 City Hall on 12th October.
A few days later – on 17th October – you can catch Nico Yearwood at The Stand with his Flower Man show, a thoughtful but hilarious look at modern life and how to balance traditional values with more modern concepts.
Go to a gig
The black influence on pretty much every form of popular music can’t be overstated, and three very different aspects of that influence can be appreciated in the next few weeks. Firstly, there’s much-loved soul diva Gabrielle, who’ll be appearing at O2 City Hall on 17th October, celebrating 30 years since her debut hit Dreams, in a concert that will include other smash hits like Rise, Sunshine and Out Of Reach.
Meanwhile soul and doo-wop legends The Drifters appear at Tyne Theatre & Opera House on 30th October, a remarkable seventy years since the original line-up formed as support for Clyde McPhatter. Of course, the line-up has changed significantly over the years but the hits are eternal – Under The Boardwalk, Saturday Night At The Movies and all their other classics.
Of course, one of the other key contributions to music made by the black community is techno in all its flavours, and you don’t get many more influential artists than Robert Hood, Underground Resistance founder and all-round innovator. He makes a rare visit to World HQ on 14th October as part of the venue’s Black History Month programme. One not to be missed.
Attend a talk or conference
Black History Month offers an excellent opportunity to learn about, discuss and discover many of the experiences, issues and accomplishments of the black community, and the Elevate Symposium hosted by Teakisi at The Common Room on 7th October will do just that. The theme of this year’s conference – the fifth so far – is Prioritising The Safety Of Women & Girls.
Meanwhile on 31st October, Newcastle University is hosting Peter Brathwaite’s Black History Month lecture, Black Lives In The Archives. The acclaimed writer, opera singer and broadcaster considers how history is shaped to favour a dominant ideology and how the truth of lives – particularly black lives – aren’t adequately reflected in the records.
Read a book
As part of its Black History Month activities, Newcastle City Library is promoting a Read More Black Women Challenge. They’ve assembled a list of 100 significant books that everyone should read – from the acclaimed, such as Zadie Smith’s NW and Toni Morrison’s Song Of Solomon, to less well-known works by contemporary authors like Luster by Raven Leilani and Glory by Noviolet Bulawayo.
Black History Month is an important and vibrant part of the calendar, offering us all a chance to reflect on the role the African diaspora plays in all our lives, and should be seen as a celebration as much as a challenge to the status quo. So get into Newcastle and celebrate Black History Month in the city - whether it's grabbing a great novel by a black woman, seeing some brilliant music or comedy, or learning more about black history and culture with an academic talk.
