SCORES of people packed into Southampton college for the launch of the city’s tenth Black History Month.
People from across Hampshire were at The Hub at City College in St Mary’s as the event devoted to the history of black people and their contribution to Southampton got officially under way.
Children from St George’s Catholic School performed songs and poems, while student model Chelsea Sandiford donned a headdress and robe in the style of Egyptian pharaoh, and the project’s symbol, Nefertiti.
The launch also saw Lord Herman Ouseley, the chairman of the Kick It Out anti-racism campaign, talk about the importance of the month.
He spoke about how people across the country have a connection with Southampton, as they took their first moves to a new life from the city when they stepped off the boat like he did.
In the 57 years since he arrived on these shores, Lord Ouseley has fought to stamp racism out in Britain.
Civic figures gathered for the launch of Black History Month at City College
But he said there was still plenty of work to be done to stamp out prejudice.
Lord Ouseley said: “Racism hasn’t gone away. At grass-roots football the number of incidents related to racism is on the increase. It’s getting better but it has a long way to go. The real danger is complacency.”
- Events include exhibition Moments In Black and White, which runs at Southampton Solent University’s Sir James Matthews Building in Above Bar Street until October 12. At The Hub Theatre until Saturday the play Pandoras Box, which spans three generations of a family, will take place. Call 023 8071 1818 for tickets.
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