livestream: A Black History Of Southampton with Don John
Thursday 6th August
livestream - 7pm - free entry
Register your interest by getting your free ticket, instructions to join will be emailed shortly afterwards. For your security and ours, you cannot attend this talk without registering in advance first.
*** edit - this event is now fully subscribed. There is no waiting list. Any returned tickets will be made available straight away via eventbrite. If you have got yourself a ticket and can no longer attend, please return it so someone else is able to enjoy Don John’s talk. ***
Join Don John via ZOOM to hear and share the contributions that Black people have made to our city’s history.
‘A Black History of Southampton 16th Century to 21st Century’ was written by Don John & Stella Muirhead in 2010 (order your copy here!). Having established Black History Month as a core part of the city’s cultural calendar it was felt that the presence of Black people in the city for hundreds of years was a story that had not been told. Their vital book charts the presence of Black people in our city for over 500 years and shares this rich heritage.
Don John has been working in the field of Race & Diversity for over 40 years. Having spent 10 years in the Treasury in Whitehall he then moved to Southampton to work as a youth and education officer for the Southampton Council for Race Equality working with Black and Asian youth with specific reference to the criminal justice system and racism in the education services. He then moved to the position of the Director of the SCRE. He then secured a position as a the lead Diversity officer for Southampton City Council and was involved in developing the city’s diversity policies. Don was also the founder of Black History Month in Southampton which has now been established as a core event in the city’s calendar and is seen as one of the most progressive in the UK. He is co-author of “The Black History of Southampton 16th Century to 21st Century which is a significant reference book charting the presence of Black people in the city for over 500 years.
Don is also a filmmaker and has made a number of short documentaries all with a “race” theme. He has also been involved in the music industry having secured a contract with EMI for a Southampton group of young black people in the 80s called “Ebony Rockers” that included the father of Craig David. As well as being a Director of Voice FM Don presents a local show on Voice FM; “Soul Train” which is a mixture of music and social comment. Don was also recently made Honorary Doctor of Arts by Solent University.
Register via Eventbrite for instructions to join ZOOM event. This event is free entry, but if you’d like to sling October Books a donation, you can do so here
