As Black History Month comes to an end, we continue to honour the people who have made a difference in our society. This month shouldn’t be the only time we remember them, their stories deserve recognition all year round.
If you couldn’t attend or take part in any Black History Month events, it’s not too late. You can still celebrate its closing through film and television.
On BBC iPlayer, viewers can watch Small Axe, an anthology drama series developed by Oscar-winning writer and director Steve McQueen. The first episode remembers the 1970 Mangrove March. Across five hour-long stories, it captures the experiences of London’s Caribbean community from the late 1960s to the mid-1980s, showing their resilience in the face of racism and discrimination.
Also available is Hero: The Extraordinary Life of Mr Ulric Cross, which stars Nickolai Salcedo as the Trinidadian who joined the RAF’s Bomber Command, rose to the rank of Squadron Leader, and earned both the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Distinguished Service Order. Directed by Frances-Anne Solomon, the award-winning film tells the story of his courage and achievements.
Another BBC iPlayer highlight is Small Island, the screen adaptation of Andrea Levy’s award-winning novel, which explores the lives of Jamaicans and Londoners during World War II. The bestselling book won the Orange Prize for Fiction, the Orange Prize ‘Best of the Best’, and the Commonwealth Writers’ Prize, and the adaptation brings the story to new audiences.
On ITVx, viewers can watch Three Little Birds, a 2023 drama by Sir Lenny Henry, inspired by his mother’s Windrush stories. The series follows sisters Leah and Chantrelle, and their friend Hosanna, as they leave Jamaica in the 1950s to start a new life in Britain.
