by Selena Whitehead, Head of Education at Amazing People Schools, September 2026
What is the Black History Month 2026 theme?
This year’s theme is Honouring Our Communities. It celebrates the people whose care, service, leadership and creativity help shape and sustain Black communities across Britain.
It invites us to look beyond the most familiar names and recognise those who have contributed to Black British history and life, both in the spotlight and behind the scenes.
Why explore Black British role models?
It’s easy to turn first to prominent US figures such as Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr. Their stories matter, but pupils should also encounter the Black people who have shaped Britain’s history, culture and communities.
These contributions span centuries and every part of British life, from politics and education to transport, music, publishing and social action.
Exploring a wider range of Black British lives challenges stereotypes, helping Black pupils see aspects of their identity reflected in what they learn and giving every pupil a fuller understanding of British history. This can strengthen representation and belonging across the school community.
Three role models, three character strengths
At Amazing People Schools, we believe strengths are best understood through story. What someone achieved matters, so do the qualities they drew on and how they used them to help others.
Every young person deserves to see themselves reflected in stories of strength, courage and purpose. Our library of 350+ diverse role models features globally significant stories from a variety of backgrounds and places. Some of the Black Britons and British Pioneers that have shaped our society include the first Black female governor of the BBC, Jocelyn Barrow, Britain’s first Black train driver, Wilston Samuel Jackson and musician Stormzy.
The three role models featured in our Black History Month resources span nearly 300 years: Ignatius Sancho, Claudia Jones and Marcus Rashford.
Their stories help primary and secondary pupils explore three character strengths: courage, leadership and empathy.
Courage: Ignatius Sancho
Born aboard a slave ship in the late 1720s and brought to England as a child, Ignatius Sancho taught himself to read and write.
He later ran a grocery shop in Westminster with his wife, Anne, which became a meeting place for writers, artists and abolitionists. Sancho used his letters to argue against slavery and became the first recorded Black Briton known to have voted in a parliamentary election.
His courage lay in claiming a place in public life and using his voice to challenge injustice.
Leadership: Claudia Jones
Claudia Jones arrived in Britain in 1955 as an experienced political activist committed to racial and social justice.
She founded the West Indian Gazette, one of Britain’s first major Black newspapers. Following racist attacks in Notting Hill, she also helped organise a Caribbean carnival event that brought people together and contributed to the development of Notting Hill Carnival.
Her leadership was about creating spaces where her community could be represented, heard and connected.
Empathy: Marcus Rashford
Marcus Rashford grew up in a family that relied on free school meals. When schools closed during the COVID-19 pandemic, he understood what losing that meal could mean for children experiencing food insecurity.
Drawing on his own experience, he campaigned for additional support during the school holidays. His sustained public pressure helped change government policy and provide food support to families across the country.
Rashford’s empathy went beyond understanding the problem. He turned that understanding into action.
You can continue exploring these stories with our ready-to-use Black History Month resources, available free this month.
The primary assembly and secondary lesson feature Ignatius Sancho, Claudia Jones and Marcus Rashford.
What connects these three Black British role models?
Each person used a character strength to make a difference beyond their own life.
Their stories show pupils that strengths aren’t simply personal qualities. They can help us support others, challenge assumptions and contribute to our communities.
Character strengths also give pupils a shared language for exploring these stories. They can recognise courage, empathy or creativity in another person, then consider how those same strengths appear in themselves and those around them.
How can you use these stories in the classroom?
Here’s three simple ways to get pupils thinking and talking.
1. Spot the strength
Ask pupils which strength they can see in the person’s choices and actions. What evidence supports their answer? Could another strength apply too?
2. Look at the bigger picture
Explore the barriers each person faced and the people, communities and institutions around them. This helps pupils understand that resilience isn’t simply about overcoming unfairness through individual effort.
3. Turn reflection into action
Invite pupils to choose one strength they already have. How could they use it to support someone in their school or community?
Primary pupils could explore these questions through discussion, drawing or a short written reflection.
Secondary pupils could examine the historical context, debate the choices each person made or consider how individual action connects with wider social change.
Ready to use these stories with your pupils?
Choose your free, ready-to-use Black History Month resource.
Sources and further reading
• Black History Month UK, Black History Month 2026: Honouring Our Communities
• UK Parliament, Black History Month
• The National Archives, Empire Windrush: The Notting Hill Carnival
• Black Cultural Archives, Black pioneers and their contributions
• Manchester City Council, Marcus Rashford’s campaign against child food poverty
Black British history is not just for October: bring it into the classroom throughout the year
Amazing People Schools brings character strengths to life through 350+ globally significant diverse role models and ready-to-use resources for lessons, assemblies and personal development.
Image attributions
Stormzy: © Alamy; Ignatius Sancho: Thomas Gainsborough, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons; Jocelyn Barrow: © Alamy; Wilston Samuel Jackson: www.dailymail.co.uk; Claudia Jones: Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons; Marcus Rashford: Oleg Bkhambri (Voltmetro), CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
