Each October, the University of Reading comes together to celebrate Black History Month. It's a time to reflect, learn, and honour the contributions of Black people in shaping British history, culture, and society.

This year, through a series of events and community engagement, we created spaces to educate, inspire, and strengthen our commitment to equality and inclusion.

The national theme for Black History Month 2025 was Standing Firm in Power and Pride. The theme called on us to celebrate Black identity with confidence, courage, and creativity.

At Reading, we proudly explored the theme through a series of events and resources that highlighted the resilience, leadership, and achievements of Black people across generations.

The Community fete was the centrepiece of this year's Black History Month at Reading. This inspiring and vibrant event brought together local Black-owned businesses, artists, and community groups.

For one day, the University’s Black History Month events programme shifted off campus to the Broad Street Mall. The Community Fete celebrated the work of talented Black businesses across our community - with vendors selling everything from beautifully designed keychains and one-of-a-kind tumblers to authentic dolls, jewellery, books and some of the best matcha you’ll find.

We want to thank the Broad Street Mall for hosting and everyone who took part, visited, and supported the event.

Let's continue to celebrate the people, stories and cultures that make Reading such a vibrant place to live, work and visit.