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As we join in this national observance, the Diocese of St Albans invites all churches and communities to engage with the theme: Commemorate, Contemplate, and Celebrate. Within this article, you’ll find a wide range of resources to help your church commemorate, reflect, and celebrate Black History Month, including prayers, liturgies, book recommendations, music suggestions, and guidance for sermons and community events.

Commemorate

Black History Month is a time for remembrance and recognition. We encourage all churches to observe the month by adding it to their calendars and newsletters. One way to commemorate is by inviting people of Black heritage to bring flags from their countries of origin and encouraging others to adopt flags from Black heritage nations, celebrating the global diversity within our churches.

Prayer for Black History Month: Use the following prayer in your services to mark Black History Month:

Compassionate God,
who sent Jesus Christ to deliver us from all manner of injustices and inequalities,
create in us new hearts and enlarged visions,
to see the image of God in every person
irrespective of background, race and ethnicity.

May we be generous in our love of others
as we work towards ending racism and injustice;
creating communities of human flourishing,
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.

Amen.
(Source: Church of England – Prayer for Black History Month)

Liturgy for Black History Month: The Church of England has developed a range of liturgical resources to help churches mark this month. These include services of the Word, a Eucharistic service, prayers of lament and commission, and additional resources for Bible studies, youth work, Messy Church, and music. Access these resources here.

Contemplate

Black History Month offers an opportunity for deep reflection on the stories, contributions, and lived experiences of Black communities. We encourage churches to use this time to prayerfully consider the importance of celebrating the Black heritage within their communities.

  • Sermons and home/cell groups: We invite church leaders to speak on the significance of Black History Month in sermons, and for home or cell groups to discuss how to continue to support and uplift Black communities in our congregations.

Celebrate

Make a party of it! Celebration is an essential part of Black History Month, and it can take many forms. Churches are encouraged to hold special events or gatherings to celebrate the heritage of Black communities. Involving those who use your church building during the week can be a great way to make this a larger, more inclusive celebration.

  • Community Engagement: Black History Month is widely recognised across the country. This is a wonderful opportunity to collaborate with other local churches and organisations, working ecumenically to celebrate Black heritage and culture.

Resources for Black History Month

Liturgy and prayer

Books and preaching themes

Here are some recommended readings to support sermons, group discussions, and personal study during Black History Month:

  • Adedibu, Babatunde – Coat of Many Colours. Wisdom Summit, 2012.
  • Dixon McKenzie, Dulcie A., Pauline E. Muir, and Monique M. Ingalls – Black British Gospel Music: From the Windrush Generation to Black Lives Matter. Routledge, 2024.
  • Reddie, Richard – Race for Justice: The Struggle for Equality and Inclusion in British and Irish Churches. Monarch Books, 2022.
  • Sturge, Mark – Look What the Lord Has Done!: An Exploration of Black Christian Faith in Britain. Scripture Union Publishing, 2005.
  • Olusoga, David – The Black History Book: Big Ideas Simply Explained. DK Publishers, 2021.

Resources for younger children

These books are widely used in schools and many children will be familiar with the stories and themes. They will also be engaging with themes of Black History Month at school, and it would be good for the church to inform their understanding of race and identity:

  • Olusoga, David et al. – Black and British: An Illustrated History. Macmillan Children’s Books, 2021.
  • Walker, Robin – Black History Matters. Franklin Watts, 2021.
  • Williams, J.T., Williams and Vives, Angela – Bright Stars of Black British History. Thames and Hudson, 2023.
  • Atinuke and Nebechi, Kingsley – Brilliant Black British History. Bloomsbury Children’s Books, 2024.
  • Harper, Mireille – Timelines from Black History: Leaders, Legends, Legacies. DK Children, 2020.
  • Harrison, Vashti – Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History. Puffin, 2019.

Music

Music plays a key role in celebrating Black History Month. Here are some suggestions for hymns and contemporary music to include in your services or gatherings.

Spotify Playlist: Contemporary Black History Month Playlist. This Spotify playlist features a curated collection of contemporary gospel and worship music, celebrating the rich heritage of Black artists and their contributions to faith and music.

Hymns: To find hymnals that include these hymns, visit Hymnary.org and search for the title. Scroll down to the ‘Instances’ section near the bottom of the page for a list of hymnals with page numbers.

  1. There’s a Spirit of Love in This Place (Mark A. Miller)
  2. Precious Lord, Take My Hand (Thomas A. Dorsey)
  3. Stand By Me (Charles A. Tindley)
  4. There’s a Sweet, Sweet Spirit in This Place (Doris Akers)
  5. Welcome (Mark A. Miller)
  6. Lead Me, Guide Me (Doris Akers)
  7. We’ll Understand It Better By and By (Charles A. Tindley)
  8. Soon and Very Soon (Andraé Crouch)
  9. The Storm is Passing Over (Charles A. Tindley)
  10. Christ Has Broken Down the Wall (Mark A. Miller)
  11. We’ve Come This Far By Faith (Albert A. Goodson)

Find out more

For more information and resources, please visit the Black History Month website or learn about the work of the Diocese’s Racial Action Justice Group.