Black History Month UK 2024: Key Campaigns

Genomics England’s Caribbean 'Liming' Ad Advocates for Advancing Health Outcomes

Aiming to improve genomic sequencing (and therefore health outcomes) for British Caribbeans, UK genome research institute Genomics England – which recently launched its Improving Black Health Outcomes initiative – created digital and out-of-home (OOH) campaign ‘Liming with Gran’.

Referring to the Caribbean tradition of ‘liming’ (hanging out with friends and family), the four-minute advert features real-life Windrush-generation immigrant Jean, 84, and her grandson, Tre, 29, playing dominoes (a typical Caribbean pastime) and discussing why knowing about inherited health conditions is positive for younger family members.

The dominoes, created especially for the campaign, feature colourways intended to evoke 1940s and 50s British-Caribbean homes (taken from swatches of original décor) and the Caribbean Sea. Emblazoned with questions such as “What makes you, you?”, they’re intended to spark conversations about legacy, identity and family – with the idea that these talks turn to health and inherited conditions.

The dominoes’ typeface is inspired by the lettering of the HMT Empire Windrush – the ship that brought some of the first post-war Caribbean immigrants to the UK, and became synonymous with their mid-century wave of arrivals.

Beyond the film, 20 domino sets were gifted to British-Caribbean community spaces including barbershops, churches and colleges, while OOH adverts featured a QR code linking to the film.

TFL’s Windrush Podcast Preserves Migrant Memories

Transport for London (TFL) also spotlit the legacy of the Windrush generation. Despite migrating to the UK at the invitation of the British government, which wanted to reduce labour shortages after WWII, Windrush immigrants faced racial discrimination and hardship. Many were also falsely assured by the government that they had indefinite leave to remain, leading to homelessness, unemployment, and deportations over subsequent decades.

An October 1 episode of TFL’s Mind The Gap podcast featured a conversation between host and railway historian Tim Dunn and The Windrush Foundation co-founder Arthur Torrington, discussing the foundation’s efforts to preserve the memories of these migrants. The episode marked TFL’s naming of its overground lines to commemorate key figures and periods in recent British History – with one line set to be named The Windrush Line.

Outernet Exhibition Unites Poet Laureates, Jewellers & Publishers

London digital public art facility the Outernet (see content director Katie Baron’s piece on the Outernet for Forbes) has partnered with Black British artist Emmanuel Sugo, known for his work on migration and migrant identity. Sugo curated a series of video installations for Black History Month from artists including spoken word artist and the first poet laureate for the London Borough of Lambeth, Abstract Benna, poet and playwright Tolu Agbelusi, and jeweller Kassandra Gordon.

The Outernet has also partnered with British newspaper The Independent to host an exhibition of archival photos of key Black British figures including Diane Abbott (Labour MP and the UK’s first Black woman in parliament), Naomi Campbell (the first Black model to appear on the cover of Time and Vogue France), and Nicola Adams (the first woman to win an Olympic gold medal for boxing). Accompanying the visuals is narration from The Independent’s race correspondent Nadine White.

Gymshark’s Pop-Up Breaks Textured Gym-Hair Barriers

Following research that found 45% of Black women in the US alone avoid going to the gym due to hair maintenance concerns (Retail Week, 2024), British athleticwear brand Gymshark tapped into Black History Month with a three-day (October 25-27) hair supply store and salon pop-up tailored to gym-going Black women with textured hair.

Located in Shoreditch, the Gymshark ‘Twists ‘n’ Sets’ pop-up was a collaboration with Black-owned British haircare brand Ruka Hair, which provided free services. Visitors could also purchase a curated product collection from Black-owned health and beauty brands including Krafts By Kerry, Kurl Kitchen, No Knots Co., Nylahs Naturals, Plantmade and Treasure Tress, alongside Gymshark’s Diffuse Sweat Headband, which was created specifically for afro and textured hair.