Celebrating Black History Month

By Abbey Hayden

October is well and truly under way, ushering in the first signs of Autumn and the fresh promise of a new university year. This month offers opportunity for renewal, routine, and reflection upon the last term, as students embark on a new chapter in their academic journeys. However, October is not solely a season of personal reflection – it also marks Black History Month, a vital time to recognise and celebrate an enduring legacy of Black culture, history, and creativity. 

This issue of Indigo is devoted to honouring Black heritage and creativity, spotlighting the depth and diversity of a culture whose influence has too often gone unacknowledged. From fashion to music, literature to food and drink, the resounding impact of Black culture has rippled across time and generations, shaping tastes, trends and traditions around the world. The Books section takes a look at African American canonical classics, Visual Arts dives into the vibrant works of Jazz Age Modernists, and Style explores how vintage fashion connects us to the history of Black style. Each article in Indigo illuminates a new facet of cultural history, with illustrations by Durham students bringing the artistry and colour of their content to life. 

The resounding impact of Black culture has rippled across time and generations, shaping tastes, trends and traditions around the world

Beyond the arts and lifestyle sections that comprise this magazine, the wider field of journalism itself has long borne the imprint of Black voices and visionaries. The front cover of this edition honours Una Marson, a Jamaican activist and writer, and the first black woman to be employed by the BBC. I first encountered Marson in my second year of studying English Literature, drawn to the emotional power of her poetry, and inspired by her astonishing achievements in an industry that sought to minimise her success. Una Marson’s pioneering work in broadcasting and newspapers did more than transform her personal life – it carved a space for Black women in media that had not existed before her. Though her name is too often overlooked beside her literary colleagues such as T. S. Eliot and George Orwell, this issue of Indigo marks a special moment to remember and celebrate one of the most influential Black voices in journalism.

Along with Marson, British journalism has been shaped by a myriad of other remarkable figures. Claudia Jones, a Trinidad and Tobago-born journalist and activist, launched Britain’s first major Black newspaper, ‘The West Indian Gazette’, as well as founding the iconic Notting Hill Carnival. Her work was aided by Darcus Howe, an elected chair of the Carnival’s committee, and editor of Race Today magazine. More recently, readers might think of the renowned Edward Enninful, the first Black editor-in-chief of British Vogue, or perhaps Nadine White, the first dedicated race correspondent in UK national journalism. Their work, and publications, set in motion a revolution of contributions to the media industry that redefined representation for generations to come. To amplify Black British voices in a society that too often seeks to silence them, and to tell the stories of marginalised individuals that had thus far been neglected, was an intervention that reshaped the cultural and political landscape of British media. 

To remember their names, reflect upon their legacies, and read their writing, is to truly celebrate the foundations they built, and the voices they made possible

To remember their names, reflect upon their legacies, and read their writing, is to truly celebrate the foundations they built, and the voices they made possible. British Black History Month holds stories of inspiration, perseverance, and brilliance; may this issue of Indigo serve not only as a tribute to the figures of excellence that came before, but as an invitation to carry their creative, and journalistic, legacy forward.

Illustration credit: Atharva Kamboj