October marks Black History Month, which is a time when people around the world reflect on and celebrate the lives, histories and cultures of the black community.
This year’s theme for Black History Month in the UK is “Celebrating our Sisters”.
This year’s commemoration will feature trailblazing Black women who have made incredible contributions to literature, music, fashion, sport, business, politics, academia, social and health care, and more.
Additionally, there will be a focus on themes such as resilience, self-care, and well-being, underscoring the strength and determination of Black women throughout history.
This year’s celebrations also mark the 75th anniversary of the arrival of the Empire Windrush.
As part of LondonWorld’s series on Black History Month, we want to celebrate it by highlighting the work of 10 inspirational Black female Londoners.
1. Chioma Nnadi
Fashion journalist and podcaster Chioma Nnadi is set to become the first Black female head of editorial content at British Vogue. The Londoner said she was “beyond excited and honoured” to be taking over from editor-in-chief Edward Enninful. “As someone who was born and raised in London, the energy of the city - its boundary-pushing style and creative scene - has shaped the way I look at the world,” Nnadi said in a statement. “Now, more than ever, it feels like a moment to look beyond borders while also celebrating the broad scope of what it means to be British,” she added of her return to her hometown.
2. Malorie Blackman
Malorie Blackman was born in Clapham and is a writer specialising in children’s literature and science fiction. Her critically and popularly acclaimed Noughts and Crosses series uses the setting of a fictional dystopia to explore racism. The trilogy has recently been adapted into a BBC television series. In 2013, Blackman became the first Black Children’s Laureate, succeeding Julia Donaldson. Blackman has been the recipient of many honours for her work including, most recently, the 2022 PEN Pinter Prize
3. Margaret Busby
Margaret Yvonne Busby, CBE, was Britain's youngest and first black female book publisher when she and Clive Allison (1944–2011) co-founded the London-based publishing house Allison and Busby (A & B) in the 1960s. She is a recipient of the Benson Medal from the Royal Society of Literature. In 2020 she was voted one of the "100 Great Black Britons". In 2021, she was honoured with the London Book Fair Lifetime Achievement Award. In 2023, Busby was named as president of English PEN, one of the world’s oldest human rights organisations.
4. Jessikah Inaba
Jessikah Inaba became the UK’s first blind and Black female barrister last November. The 23-year-old, from Camden completed her entire course using Braille and credits her friends and tutors for helping to fill in the gaps. “There’s a triple-glazed glass ceiling. I’m not the most common gender or colour, and I have a disability, but by pushing through, I’m easing the burden on the next person like me,” she said.