October is Black History Month in the United Kingdom, a month dedicated to recognizing and honoring the monumental impact of people of African and Caribbean heritage on British society and culture.
Inspired by the U.S.’s commemoration each February, the British observance was first celebrated in London in 1987 thanks to the tireless efforts of activists and leaders Akyaaba Addai-Sebo, Linda Bellos, Ansel Wong, Bernard Wiltshire and members of the Greater London Council (GLC). They sought to highlight the contributions of Black Britons and foster a sense of pride and visibility for African descendant communities.
With much intentionality, too, the month of October was selected to commemorate UK Black History so that school children beginning the academic year would start with a greater awareness of their heritage and engage in vital cultural remembrance, recognition, and renewal, honoring the global reach of Black brilliance in their lives and beyond.
In celebration of this year’s UK Black History Month, the podcast Belonging to Blackness proudly features award-winning British-Grenadian visual artist, photographer, and filmmaker Simon Frederick in Episode 060, premiering October 21, 2025.
Simon Frederick’s work has reshaped how Black identity and excellence are represented across art and media. His striking portraits and acclaimed documentaries, including BBC/Netflix’s Black Is the New Black and They’ve Gotta Have Us, celebrate the depth and diversity of African descendant experiences. His portraits form the largest acquisition of African and Caribbean works in the National Portrait Gallery’s permanent collection, a historic distinction that underscores his impact on British art and cultural history.
In this upcoming episode, Simon Frederick joins Dr. Yndia for an illuminating conversation about the power of visual storytelling and its ability to connect stories across the diaspora, while honoring the cross-Atlantic ties that binds us — from Grenada to Great Britain, from Brooklyn and Los Angeles to the continent of Africa and everywhere in between.
Be sure to listen in on October 21, 2025, for this compelling conversation with Simon Frederick, available on this website, Apple, Amazon, iHeart, Spotify, and wherever else you listen to podcasts. Join us in celebrating UK Black History Month and the artists and visionaries who remind us that Black history is world history — living, evolving, and powerfully ours.
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Peace and blessings,
Dr. Yndia & the Belonging to Blackness, LLC team
