Resources
Books
Looking to expand your reading list? Wanting to educate yourself and not sure where to start? Our Student Officers have pulled together their list of BHM book, film and music recommendations Support black artists, discover inspiring stories and help amplify their voice through engaging with their work.
Butterfly Fish (2015)
Butterfly Fish is a stunning debut from Irenosen Okojie, surrounding an outsider living in London who struggles to deal with her mother's sudden death. The book cleverly juxtaposes scenes of everyday London with African folklore and juggles different timescales with real skill.
Chosen by Rowan
Born a crime, Trevor Noah (2016)
Many may know Trevor Noah as a comedian, host of the Daily Show as well as Comedy Central. However, others may not be aware of his childhood, born out of an illegal interracial relationship during the South African apartheid. The book pays homage to Noah's mother, who he describes as stubborn, fearless and an extraordinary teacher.
Chosen by Jitendra
Know Why the Caged Bird Sings - Maya Angelou (1969)
I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings is an autobiography of Maya Angelou and is often cited as her best-known work. The book sees a young woman victimised by racism, trauma and inferiority, grow into someone who is capable of responding to prejudice. Angelou is known for being a civil rights worker, educator, singer, actor as well as being friends with influential civil rights activists such as James Baldwin, Martin Luther King JR and Malcolm X. The title comes from a poem by African American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar, citing a caged bird as a symbol for the chained slave - "I know why the caged bird sings, ah me...when he beats the bars and would be free."
Chosen by Othman
Women's Liberation and the African Struggle - Thomas Sankara
"There is no true social revolution without the liberation of women," states Thomas Sankara, as he led the revolution in Upper Volta to become Burkina Faso, liberating the country from French colonisation. Sankara's legacy in the country in West Africa was nationwide literacy, land redistribution, vaccinations, and the beginning of the Great Green Wall, an ecological plan to halt the spread of the Sahara. After his untimely death and assassination in 1987, other nations are continuing his Pan-African dream and this book is one of the most important in beginning to understand his legacy in the region, and throughout Africa.
Chosen by Holly
Film/TV
For our film selection, we’ve picked a wide range of genres to cover all your cinematic tastes. From drama to comedy, romance to horror, curl up and get comfy with a great film on a rainy October evening.
Moonlight (2016)
Moonlight is a coming-of-age drama, presenting three stages of the main character - his childhood, adolescence and early adult life. The film deals with themes such as sexuality and identity, as well as physical and emotional abuse. It taps into themes of sexuality and masculinity beautifully and has been cited as one of the best films of the 21st century. This film was one of the first LGBTQ-themed mass marketed feature film with an all-black cast and won an Oscar for Best Picture.
Chosen by Rowan
The Pursuit of Happyness (2006)
Starring Will Smith and (a rather baby-faced) Jaden Smith as a single father and his son, The Pursuit of Happyness is a poignant story of a struggling man who takes custody of his son and wants to make the best of his future.
"one of the few movies I was emotionally invested in, watch this movie when you're feeling low"
Chosen by Jitendra
Two Distant Strangers (2020)
Starring rapper Joey Bada$$, this American short film examines the deaths of Black Americans at the hands of the police. In the film, the main character is stuck in a perpetual time loop of being confronted by the NYPD on his way home, resulting in his death. The film seeks to highlight the disproportionate police killings and abuse of Black Americans and was created after the murder of George Floyd by a white police officer, Derek Chauvin, in Minnesota.
Chosen by Othman
Hidden Figures (2016)
Hidden Figures is a biographical drama about three female African American mathematicians who worked at NASA during the Space Race. It is pivotal that we reclaim their story and champion the lives of those who have done so much for history. Hidden Figures features the likes of singer turned actress Janelle Monae, Octavia Spencer and Taraji P. Henson.
Chosen by Holly
Music
And to change it up a bit this year we’ve swapped podcasts with music recommendations. We all picked one of our favourite artists and the song that made us love them!
The Boys Are Back In Town; Thin Lizzy (1976)
The Boys Are Back In Town is regarded as Irish hard rock band Thin Lizzy's best song, released in 1976 as the first single from their album Jailbreak. Phil Lynott was the first Black Irishman to achieve commercial success in the field of rock music, the band, as well as being multiracial, having members not only from both sides of the Irish border but also from both Catholic and Protestant communities during The Troubles. Even now, this song is synonymous with most Irish rugby matches, and the band have an enormous legacy.
Chosen by Rowan
Happy, Pharrell Williams (2013)
Happy became a part of our collective consciousness back in 2013, first being released as a single from the Despicable Me 2 soundtrack and then, due to its popularity, being rereleased onto Pharrell's second studio album Girl in 2014. The song reached No.1 in the US, UK, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand and 19 other countries, reaching No.1 on a record-setting three occasions! It also became the most downloaded song of all time in the UK (at the time) in September 2014. For Jitendra, he likes it because: "it’s fun, it's positive and makes my feet tap"
Chosen by Jitendra
Ah Yasmarany - Mohamed Mounir (2003)
Mohamed Mounir is an Egyptian singer and actor, affectionately known as "The King." He has been known to incorporate various genres into his music, as well as sing about philosophy and politics. Mounir changed the trajectory of Egyptian singers by performing in casual attire, when many were expected to wear suits, and is now known for his laid-back image. As recently as 2010, Mohamed headlined the Liverpool Arabic Arts Festival at the Philharmonic Hall. Hopefully he'll come back to Liverpool soon!
Chosen by Othman
What Becomes Of The Broken-Hearted by Jimmy Ruffin (1966)
What Becomes of the Broken-Hearted was a hit single by Jimmy Ruffin, released on Motown Records. The song is a ballad about a man lost in the misery of heartbreak and was Ruffin's highest placed chart single in the UK, reaching No.4. The song is widely recognised to this day, having been covered by the likes of Paul Young in 1991 and Bruce Springsteen in 2022. Holly simply says it is one of her favourite songs.
Chosen by Holly