Like a modern day singer, rapper, or musician, a Griot was a West African poet praise singer, considered as the foundation of oral tradition of the country.

The season kicks off on Monday 4 October with an evening to celebrate Camden’s long association with the anti-apartheid movement, hosted by the Mayor of Camden.

Running from 4 October to 26 November in venues across Camden, this year’s programme will include a range of musical events, exclusive film screenings and exhibitions.

New events added: click here to find out about our library events.

Event listings

The Mayor's Anti-Apartheid evening

Date: Monday 4 October
Time: 6 - 8pm
Venue: Camden Town Hall, Judd Street

Mayor of Camden is hosting an evening to celebrate Camden’s long association with the anti-apartheid movement.

The event is open to residents and will focus on people from the borough who were instrumental in the movement, and famous anti-apartheid visitors to the borough, such as Nelson Mandela.

"It will be an honour to host an event to celebrate our links to the anti-apartheid movement. The movement was a momentous part of Camden’s history, and one that we should all take the time to reflect on and celebrate. I look forward to welcoming this fascinating array of speakers to do exactly that.”
Councillor Jonathan Simpson, Mayor of Camden.

To register contact the Mayor’s office or telephone 0207 974 1989 or email mayor@camden.gov.uk

INSPIRED!

A night of music, comedy and poetry in celebration of the spoken word.

Hosted by Eddie Nestor with special guests Rudolph Walker OBE and Felix Dexter. Music and poetry from singers from London Community Gospel Choir.

Date: Sunday 10 October
Time: Doors open 6.30pm
Venue: Camden Centre

Bring all the family to celebrate Black History Season in Camden. Join our guests as they take you on a journey celebrating the spoken word. Story tellers in Africa used their vocal expertise for gossip, satire, and political comment and this tradition continued in the Caribbean. Stories such as the tales of Anansi travelled from Africa to the Caribbean and America. Listen to gospel music, poetry and stories from the Caribbean, comedy and modern day Black British poets and singers. Enjoy our delicious Caribbean cuisine which will be on sale. Purchase Rum Punch from our well stocked bar and come and enjoy a night out suitable for all ages.

Phone: 020 7974 5633
Email: camdencentre@camden.gov.uk

Jews of Ethiopia: a musical journey

Date: Thursday 14 October
Time: 7pm
Venue: The Jewish Museum, Raymond Burton House, 129 – 131 Albert Street

The black Jews of Africa are the subject of much fascinating research. To mark Black History Month Dr Alexander Knapp, musician, musicologist and former Lecturer in Jewish Music at SOAS, will take you on an illustrated, musical journey revealing the lifestyle and religious beliefs of the Beta Israel (Ethiopians Jews). Knapp will introduce Beta Israel’s unique songs and music, which features in both their sacred and secular spheres

Phone: 020 7284 7384

Wellcome Collection – Steve I Martin’s Medicne Man Tour

Date: Thursday 21 October
Time: 7pm
Venue: 183 Euston Road , London NW1 2BE

Henry Wellcome was a man of many parts: entrepreneur, philanthropist, patron of science and pioneer of aerial photography. He also created one of the world's great museums: a vast stockpile of evidence about our universal interest in health and the body.

More than 150 years after his birth in 1853, this exhibition reunites a cross-section of extraordinary objects from his collection, ranging from diagnostic dolls to Japanese sex aids, and from Napoleon's toothbrush to George III's hair. It also provides a very different perspective on some of our own obsessions with medicine and health.
Join historian and modern griot, Steve I Martin for a different perspective of the African material on display in the Medicine Man gallery.

This specially commissioned 'Medicine Man' Tour will feature a number of African objects. Martin will show how one object can mean many different things and tell many different stories.

Phone: 0207 611 2222

'I have done the state some service': Othello, Robeson and the FBI

Date: Thursday 21 October
Time: 8pm
Venue: The Working Men’s College, For Women & Men , 44 Crowndale Road,
London NW1 1TR

Professor Tony Howard will explore the work of Paul Robeson against a background of prejudice and government Blacklists. The evening includes a short accompanying performance by actor Geoff Francis, (Ashes to Ashes, BBC1 and Desmonds, Channel 4) first performed early this year at the Victoria and Albert Museum

Professor Tony Howard is author of Women as Hamlet (Cambridge 2007); editor of Reading the Apocalypse in Bed: Selected Plays of Tadeusz Rozewicz (Boyars); editor with John Stokes of Acts of War: Representations of Military Conflict in Contemporary British Television and Theatre.

Phone: 020 7255 4700

Nigeria 50+

Date: Saturday 23 October
Time: 12 – 5:30pm
Venue: The British Library, 96 Euston Road, London NW1 2DB
Cost: £6 /£4 concessions

Join an exciting examination of Nigeria, fifty years after Independence, through film, photography, speech and performance. We explore the story of the founding fathers of Nigeria and West Africa told through pictures of the West African Student Union unseen in public for up to 80 years. We celebrate the King of Afrobeat, Fela Anikalopo Kuti through film, conversation with his long-term manager Rikki Stein and meet the cast of forthcoming musical FELA!. We explore the emergence of the Nigeria’s extraordinary film industry – Nollywood.

Visit bl.uk/whatson for full programme.

Our Memories of the Uprisings: The 1980s Revisited

Date: Monday 25 October
Time: 6 – 7.30pm
Venue: The British Library conference centre
Cost: £6 / £4 concessions

Frequently characterised as 'racial riots', the uprisings of the 1980s in Bristol, Brixton, Toxteth and Moss Side were significant reactions to the politics of late 20th-century Britain. This event will bring together witnesses to offer memories of the uprisings and reflect on their context and legacy. The audience will have an opportunity to share their memories and discuss the socio-historical background to these events.

Speakers include Linda Bellos OBE, Wally Brown CBE and Kunle Olulode.
The run time for this event includes a post-talk reception.

Presented in association with LB Camden Black History Forum

Visit bl.uk for tickets and further infomation.

Bigga Fish present the ‘It Just Got Bigga Tour’

Date: Monday 25 October
Time: 5pm-10:30pm
Venue: Camden Centre, London WC1H 9JE

This event is part of a national tour of four cities bringing together the best of local talent with established artists.

The event is also part of the ongoing award scheme for Bigga Fish Street Team members that recognises their progression, achievements and hard work.

Line Up:
Griminal
Marvel
Mz Bratt
Lioness
Angel
RD
Dr Psycho
Bigga Bloco
Da Batch
Jazzie
Policy

Creating traditions: stories and storytelling from the ancient world

Venue: Petrie Museum of Egyptian Archaeology

Classis and imperialism in the British Empire: talk and book launch
Date: Thursday 21 October
Time: 6 – 7:30pm

Mark Bradley introduces a new book which brings together scholars of modern and ancient culture to explore interactions between ideas about Greek and Roman civilisations and the British Empire. The book addresses questions of racial theory, slavery, colonial apologists and nationalism.

Rock Da Mic

Date: Sunday 21 November
Venue: Camden Centre, WC1 H 9JE

The Rock Da Mic competition is an opportunity for all young rappers, singers, spoken word artists and creative individuals to show case their talents with an opportunity to perform in front of a live audience. We are looking for talented individuals who have a story to tell and skills to match, that can illustrate what it is to be an inner city Griot.

Phone: 0794 032 0381

In conversation with KRS ONE/ Akala/ Lowkey

Date: Friday 26 November
Time: 6.30pm
Venue: the British Library
Cost: £10 /£7.50 concessions

Hip Hop Legend KRS1 talks about his approach to writing and performing, and the wider context of rap and hiphop in western society. He is joined by local based music heroes Akala and Lowkey. Chaired by Professor MK Asante with an aftershow event with Akala and Lowkey

Phone: 01937 546546

Visit bl.uk for tickets and further infomation.

black history season, Camden, culture, diversity, griots, stories, story telling,