Celebrating Black History Month at City Lit
City Lit is delighted to support Black History Month with a series of courses honouring Black cultures.
Learn about the past, present and future of Black cultures through history, music, dance and art. Led by expert tutors, our courses embrace diversity and celebrate the Black communities.
Learn more about Black History Month. Read our blog on Empowering Inclusive Education: The Role of Black History Month in Britain.
- African Ethics - Philosophical Foundations and Contemporary IssuesCourse start date: Wed 18 Feb 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ovett NwosimiriThis course provides an exploration of African ethical thought, examining both its foundational principles and contemporary debates. Students will engage with African value systems, moral philosophies, and the evolving discourses in African ethics.Full fee £169.00 Senior fee £135.00 Concession £110.00 - Global encounters: Gold, the Enslaved and Exotic Animals: Europe and Africa before 1700
Course start date: Sat 7 Mar 2026Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Vanessa KingExplore European perceptions of Africa and its inhabitants: from misconstrued tales of monstrous races and the legendary Prester John, to the charting of the west coast and rise of the slave trade.Full fee £49.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £32.00 - Haiti: past and presentCourse start date: Tue 14 Apr 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Ellen CarpenterDiscover the remarkable history, culture and politics of the Caribbean island of Haiti and the extraordinary resilience of its people before, during and since the revolution of 1791-1804.
Full fee £49.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £32.00 - Sing soul and blues Course start date: Wed 22 Apr 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Emzee HaywoodeEnjoy this further exploration of classic soul tunes and blues vocal style and repertoire. This course follows last term's edition and new singers are welcome to join.
Full fee £279.00 Senior fee £223.00 Concession £195.00 - African Nationalism: The Rise of the African Intelligentsia, 1820-1975Course start date: Fri 8 May 2026
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Apeike UmoluDive into the history of the emergence of modern African states through a study of the lives and works of the intellectuals who spearheaded the independence movements and the institutions which nurtured them.
Full fee £169.00 Senior fee £135.00 Concession £110.00 - Afrocentric drummingCourse start date: Fri 8 May 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Paul ChiversExplore and indulge your enthusiasm for drumming with African rhythms and their variations. Improve your individual and group playing skills and learn how to apply a variety of percussive instruments to any musical style.
Full fee £149.00 Senior fee £149.00 Concession £149.00 - Black Latin AmericaCourse start date: Wed 20 May 2026
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Anna GrimaldiThis course introduces and critically examines the concept of a Black or African Latin America through the region’s history, philosophy, activism, politics, diaspora, memory and culture.
Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £69.00 Concession £45.00 - Contemporary African dance Course start date: Sat 6 Jun 2026 (and 1 other date)
Location on this date: Keeley Street
Tutors: Francis AngolA dynamic and vibrant class that combines West African dance and music with some Contemporary dance influences. The movements, energy and music will leave you energised and rejuvenated.Full fee £129.00 Senior fee £129.00 Concession £90.00 - From Earth to Empire: Cocoa and Coffee in African HistoryCourse start date: Tue 16 Jun 2026
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: Apeike UmoluDive into Africa’s past through the commodities that put it at the centre of world trade: cocoa and coffee. Explore how they transformed societies, fuelled nation-building, and triggered economic and labour activism.
Full fee £39.00 Senior fee £39.00 Concession £25.00 - The Yoruba Civilisation at the British Museum Course start date: Sat 4 Jul 2026
Location on this date: Off Site
Tutors: Apeike UmoluExplore the history of Yoruba civilisation, including the rise and fall of the Oyo Empire, using Yoruba material culture to understand evolutions in Yoruba life and customs. NB this is an immersive course using artefacts at the British Museum. Tutor: Apeike Umolu.
Full fee £59.00 Senior fee £47.00 Concession £38.00 - Slavery, enslavement & the CaribbeanCourse start date: Thu 5 Feb 2026
Location on this date: Online
Tutors: A. SApproximately 11 million Africans were enslaved and taken to the Americas. What was daily life like in plantation societies in the Caribbean colonies in the period 1609-1807 and how did new cultures develop over time?Full fee £69.00 Senior fee £55.00 Concession £45.00
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