Finding Belonging: A mixed black woman's connection to Black History Month

When I was younger, Black History Month felt distant to me, as though it celebrated a history that didn’t quite belong to me. However, as I’ve grown and explored my identity, I’ve come to understand that this narrative is mine to connect with too. That’s why for the first time this year, I’m adding my own perspective. It aligns with the theme of reclaiming narratives.

This year’s theme resonates deeply with me. Over the past few years, I’ve come to realise just how important it is to connect more strongly with my place in black history. As a mixed black woman, black history is undeniably my history too.

For me, identifying as mixed black brings a unique and intersecting experience. It means navigating multiple cultural worlds, but it also means confronting the dualities of identity, which can sometimes make you feel like you don’t fully belong anywhere. This complexity is a vital part of our shared black experience.

I believe it’s essential for the mixed black community to engage more deeply with our rich and beautiful heritage. Doing so not only brings us closer together as a community, but also allows us to explore the complex, interwoven narratives of ethnicity, race, and lived experience.

We need to start having more conversations about what it means to be mixed black and what it means to be politically black too. As a black community, it’s crucial that we stand together and support each other’s endeavours. The world is already too binary and it’s vital that we unite as one community.

But I want you to remember this: black history is YOUR history too. Black History Month is about celebrating blackness in all its forms. Some of the most celebrated figures in black history come from mixed black backgrounds, including Bob Marley, Martin Luther King, Barack Obama and Mary Seacole.

Closer to home, we have figures like Dr Karis Campion and Dr Remi Joseph-Salisbury, who are researching mixed black voices within the UK. We also have authors such as Kit de Waal, Bernardine Evaristo and Afua Hirsch whose books delve into the challenges of navigating society as a mixed black person.

As we continue to celebrate Black History Month, I hope we also think about how we can shape the future. By embracing the “One Drop” rule, we can amplify all voices within the black community, including those of us who are mixed black.

If you’re interested in learning more about the mixed black experience, I highly recommend a few of my favourite books:

• Brit(ish) by Afua Hirsch
• The Mixed-Race Experience: Reflections and Revelations on Multicultural Identity by Naomi and Natalie Evans
• Without Warning and Only Sometimes: Scenes from an Unpredictable Childhood by Kit de Waal
• Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo
• The Half of It by Emma Slade Edmondson and Nicole Ocran

And hopefully, my own book will join that list in the future. 

By Loreal Stokes