It's Black History Month and as your Vice President Achievement and Belonging, I’ve been working with staff and students to develop our 'Bucks SU Celebrates' program. This program is based on the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion calendar and covers everything from Diwali to Pride.
The nation is currently immersed in Black History Month and we are really excited to be getting involved. We believe we should be celebrating our students all year round not just in a month, and Black culture and heritage are no exception. We have composed a small list of things you can read, watch, and listen to over the year to immerse yourself in Black culture.
Books:
- ‘Somebody’s Daughter’ by Ashley C. Ford - In this powerful memoir, writer Ashley C. Ford illuminates her upbringing as a poor Black girl in Indiana dealing with the effects of incarceration on her family. When she discovers the truth about why her father is in prison, Ford’s world is forever turned upside down.
- ‘Seven Days in June’ by Tia Williams - Does true love have an expiration date? That’s one of the central questions fuelling this charming, smart novel about two former lovers who reconnect after years—and who both happen to be successful writers running in the same literary circle. As you might guess, tons of drama and hilarity ensues.
- ‘How We Heal’ by Alexandra Elle - The Instagram-favourite author, wellness educator, and restorative writing teacher weaves together a book that’s part essay collection, part insightful interviews, and part guided journaling and meditation practice. If you’ve been looking for an entry point into being more reflective and intentional about how to heal from past traumas, this book is a must-read.
- ‘The Vanishing Half’ by Brit Bennett - Imagine having an identical twin sister. Now imagine your identical sister is able to pass as a member of a different race. Meet the Vignes sisters! The plot of Brit Bennett’s second novel is enough to grab anyone’s attention, but you’ll become enraptured as you follow this story of one Black sister passing as white.
- ‘Kindred’ by Octavia E. Butler - Sci-fi fans will LOVE this book from Octavia Butler. Dana, a 26-year-old woman in ’70s L.A., finds herself abruptly taken back in time to a plantation in the pre–Civil War South where she has been summoned to save the drowning son of a white plantation owner. She keeps getting pulled back in time to the plantation, and with her stays getting longer and longer, Dana gets intimately involved in the community there. It’s an important look at the experience of slavery from the perspective of a modern woman.
- ‘The Nickel Boys’ by Colson Whitehead - Based on a very real and very horrifying reform school that operated in Tallahassee for 111 years, this book tells the story of Elwood Curtis, a young boy who was unfairly sentenced to the juvenile reformatory. Elwood’s only joy there is his friendship with another young boy, Turner, whose hardened belief that the world is crooked has a profound effect on Elwood.
- ‘The Other Black Girl: A Novel’ by Zakiya Dalila Harris - The Other Black Girl follows Nella, the only Black employee at a publishing house, and the story that follows when Hazel, another Black employee, starts work in the cubicle next to hers one day.
- ‘Homegoing’ by Yaa Gyasi - Homegoing takes you through the journey of two sisters and eight generations of their descendants. From Ghana to the plantations of Mississippi to the Civil War to the Jazz Age in New York City, this novel dives into the issues of slavery both for those who were taken and those who were left behind.
Movies:
- Hidden Figures
- Dreamgirls
- Black Panther
- Barber Shop
- Think Like A Man
- The Best Man
- Straight Out Of Compton
- Malcom X
- White Men Cant Jump
- Remember the Titans
- Precious
- Nappily Ever After
- Bullet Boy
Series:
- Dear White People – The black experience on an American college campus: comedy, tragedy, romantic.
- Mixed-Ish – A comedy on the blending of a mixed family in the late 1900s
- Black-Ish - A comedy about a black American family, speaks on the experience on raising children and how it feels to be working in an environment where you may be the only black or mixed person.
- Pose - This show takes you on an emotion whirlwind into the life of black trans women in New York.
- All American - A story of a young man and his friends on their journey through High School and American Football.
- Wu-Tang Saga - One of the most influential rap groups in histories story is told. From the fued of two estates on Staten Island becoming a worldwide music sensation.
- Greenleaf – A fictional story about a Christian family who run a church.
Podcasts:
Music Artists:
- Rico Nasty
- Nao
- Masego
- Zoe Wees
- Blood Orange
- Honey Dijon
- Brent Faiyaz
- Ms. Boogie
- Brittany Howard
- Nija
- Dave
- Stormzy
- Flo Milli
- Willie Jones
- Tinashe
I hope you enjoy as many of these books, podcasts, and films as I did and don't forget if you want to check out our latest events, head to our What's On page to see them all.
- Jess Bradbury, Vice President Achievement and Belonging.