Black History Month UK 2026: Speakers and Workplace Ideas

Black History Month UK 2026 runs from October 1st to October 31st, spotlighting Black British history, culture and the people shaping it today. This year's official theme is Honouring Our Communities, recognising the volunteers, teachers, healthcare workers and community organisers whose everyday contributions hold Black British life together. Below you'll find thirteen of PepTalk's favourite Black History Month speakers, practical ideas for marking the month in the workplace, a ready-to-use set of hashtags and answers to the most common booking questions.

Which speakers suit Black History Month UK 2026?

The best speakers for Black History Month UK 2026 connect Black British history to the people and communities your organisation works with now, which is exactly what the Honouring Our Communities theme asks for. The thirteen below cover history, anti-racism strategy, inclusive leadership, sport, the arts and public service, so you can match the speaker to your audience and your brief.

Elliot Barnes-Worrell

Elliot champions the integration of Black history into everyday life and the workplace, and speaks about why the work continues all year round. He's an actor, writer and director who has worked alongside industry names like Steven Spielberg and appeared on the BBC and Netflix, and his talks blend that creative experience with practical guidance on anti-racism strategies, empathetic leadership and building inclusive teams.

Learn more and book Elliot Barnes-Worrell →

Naomi Schiff

Naomi is a Rwandan-Belgian racing driver, television presenter and former diversity and inclusion ambassador for W Series. Her experience breaking barriers in the male-dominated world of motorsport gives her a distinctive perspective on resilience and inclusion, and her talks help teams think differently about diversity within their own organisation or industry.

Learn more and book Naomi Schiff →

Fehinti Balogun

Fehinti is an actor, multimedia creative and climate justice activist who uses his platform to make the case that every voice has the power to drive change. Through his art and advocacy he pushes audiences to move from conversation to action, exploring what allyship and progress look like in practice.

Learn more and book Fehinti Balogun →

Collette Philip

Collette is an anti-racist brand strategist with 25 years' experience working with organisations including McDonald's, T-Mobile and Barnardo's. She's been featured in Third Sector, Campaign, Forbes and BBC Radio 4, named to Campaign's “40 Over 40” list, and as co-founder of Join Our Table she's dedicated to representing and uplifting Black women in business.

Learn more and book Collette Philip →

Dwayne Fields

Dwayne is the UK's Chief Scout, an explorer and a Royal Geographical Society Fellow whose journey from a challenging upbringing to becoming the first young Black Briton to reach the Magnetic North Pole speaks for itself. His BAFTA-nominated adventure alongside Ben Fogle in Endurance: Race to the Pole brought his story to a wider audience, and his talks combine adventure with a real passion for the environment and for inspiring the next generation.

Learn more and book Dwayne Fields →

Bernadette Thompson OBE

Bernadette is a seasoned HR professional and diversity campaigner whose work has shaped workplace culture across major UK organisations. Her talks give teams practical guidance on building diversity and inclusion into how a business actually operates, all year round.

Learn more and book Bernadette Thompson OBE →

Johanne Penney

Johanne is the founder and CEO of Amp Up Your Voice Ltd, a multi-award-winning leadership and culture consultancy that works with executive teams to embed inclusion into business strategy. She draws on her own experience of having her career derailed by racial discrimination to ground her sessions in lived reality, then moves into practical frameworks covering psychological safety, sponsorship pipelines and cultural competency. Her client list includes Spotify, Barclays, BAE Systems and the NHS.

Learn more and book Johanne Penney →

Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu

Shola is a British-Nigerian lawyer, political activist and author working across racial justice, gender equality and human rights. She's a familiar voice in British media on race and resistance, recognised by British Vogue among other outlets, and she brings that same directness to the room. Her sessions move organisations past good intentions and into the specifics of what actually changes.

Learn more and book Dr Shola Mos-Shogbamimu →

Emma Dabiri

Emma is a historian, broadcaster and bestselling author whose books Don't Touch My Hair and What White People Can Do Next opened up wider conversations about identity, heritage and allyship in Britain. Her academic grounding in African Studies and sociology gives her sessions real historical depth, and her storytelling makes that history land with audiences who have already heard the surface version.

Learn more and book Emma Dabiri →

Ama Agbeze MBE

Ama captained England Netball to Commonwealth gold, and she's also a qualified lawyer and a board director in sport. She speaks on resilience, inclusive leadership and what it takes to turn an underdog team into world champions, drawing on the changing room and the boardroom in equal measure.

Learn more and book Ama Agbeze MBE →

George Rhoden

George served as a Detective Inspector in the Metropolitan Police, joining at a time of deep tension between the police and Black communities in Britain. He now advises global organisations on crisis management, security and strategic decision-making, work that also earned him a BAFTA-winning credit on Channel 4's Hunted. His sessions on service, resilience and rebuilding trust sit squarely with this year's theme.

Learn more and book George Rhoden →

Romain Muhammad

Romain is a leadership coach, author and founder of Room to Lead, a consultancy working with organisations on culture, confidence and psychological safety. Drawing on psychology, sociology and history, he explains why capable people, particularly those who are the first or the only one in a room, hold themselves back at work, and gives leaders the language to change that. He has delivered more than 500 sessions for organisations including NASA, the BBC, the NHS, Deloitte and Yale University, and his flagship keynote takes its title from his book, What Are You So Afraid Of?

Learn more and book Romain Muhammad →

Akala

Akala is a rapper, author and historian whose work moves between music, literature and social history. As founder of The Hip-hop Shakespeare Company and author of Natives, he gives organisations an arts-led route into conversations about race, class and identity in Britain, alongside a deep knowledge of African history.

Interested in booking Akala? Get in touch with the PepTalk team.

When is Black History Month UK and why is it in October?

Black History Month UK takes place every October, running from October 1st to October 31st. The United States marks Black History Month in February, timed to the birthdays of Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln. The UK observance is separate, founded in 1987 by Ghanaian-born Akyaaba Addai-Sebo while he was working at the Greater London Council.

October was chosen for reasons that were both symbolic and practical. It is traditionally when African chiefs and leaders gather to settle differences, and it falls just after schools return from the summer break, giving teachers an early opportunity to build Black British history into the year ahead.

For organisers, the practical consequence is that the UK and US arms of the same business mark the month eight months apart. If you run events on both sides of the Atlantic, plan two separate moments, and brief your speaker on which audience and which national story they are speaking to. Our guide to Black History Month speakers for US corporate events covers the February programme.

How can you mark Black History Month UK in the workplace?

The most effective ideas for Black History Month in the workplace combine one headline moment with smaller activities that run through October. A keynote or panel gives the month a focal point, while activity led by colleagues and local partners keeps it connected to the Honouring Our Communities theme and to the people your organisation actually works with.

• Book a speaker for a headline session. A keynote from one of the speakers above gives the whole organisation a shared reference point for the month, and works in person, virtually or hybrid across multiple sites.
• Run a panel with your employee network. Pair an external expert with colleagues from your Black employee network or ERG in a panel discussion or fireside chat, so the conversation reflects your own organisation.
• Recognise the people behind your community. The 2026 theme centres everyday contributors. Use the month to recognise colleagues, volunteers and community partners whose work often goes unseen.
• Use the official resources. Black History Month UK publishes an official 2026 Resource Pack with exhibition posters, audio stories and materials designed for workplaces as well as schools.
• Join local events. Towns and cities across the UK, including London, Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Glasgow and Cardiff, host Black History Month events throughout October, and many are free to attend.
• Plan beyond October. Treat the month as the start of a year-round programme, with follow-up sessions from diversity and inclusion speakers through the rest of the year.

Which hashtags should you use for Black History Month UK?

Promoting a Black History Month event in your workplace this October? We've put together a set of hashtags to help promote your BHM event or talk on social media. Simply copy and paste:

#BlackHistoryMonthUK #BlackHistoryMonth2026 #HonouringOurCommunities #BlackBritishHistory #ProudToBeBlackUK #BlackExcellenceUK #BlackVoicesUK #UKBlackHeritage #BlackTrailblazersUK #InspiringBlackFutures #Diversity #Inclusion #Culture

Looking for more ways to mark the month? Read our awareness days and cultural calendar for October, browse more UK events and speakers you need to book now, or take a deep dive into diversity with June Sarpong.

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Black History Month UK 2026?

Black History Month UK 2026 runs from October 1st to October 31st. The 2026 theme is Honouring Our Communities, recognising the volunteers, teachers, healthcare workers and community organisers whose everyday work sustains Black British life. The United States marks its own Black History Month in February, so global organisations plan the two separately.

How do I book a Black History Month speaker?

To book a Black History Month speaker through PepTalk, tell us the date, the audience, the format and roughly what you want people to do differently afterwards. We come back with a shortlist, availability and a quote, then handle the contract, the speaker briefing and the logistics from there. Send us a message to start.

How far in advance should I book a Black History Month speaker?

Book a Black History Month speaker at least six to eight weeks ahead for most dates. October is one of the busiest months in the UK diversity and inclusion calendar, so the most requested speakers are booked out well before the month begins. If your event falls in October, start the conversation over the summer.

How much does a Black History Month speaker cost?

The cost of a Black History Month speaker depends on the speaker, the format, and whether the session runs in person or virtually. Send us your budget range with the brief and we'll tell you honestly what it covers, so every name on your shortlist is one you can book. Travel and accommodation sit on top of the fee for in-person events.

What formats work for a Black History Month session?

The most common format for a Black History Month session is a 45 to 60 minute keynote. Panel discussions with a chair suit programmes covering several perspectives, fireside chats work for smaller or more senior rooms, and workshops from 90 minutes upwards suit teams who want to leave with agreed actions. Virtual and hybrid sessions work well across multi-site organisations.

"The BLM protests reminded many millions that Black History Month wasn't some add-on or goodwill gesture, but a necessity if you truly want to understand British and world history."— Gaverne Bennett

💡 Want to book any of these speakers for Black History Month UK? Send us a message. Remember, it's always a good time to get a PepTalk!