I AM History

28/08/2025

The Premier League is back for its 34th season, and with it, we celebrate the powerful legacy of Black footballers who have shaped the game for over a century. Today, Black players make up 61% of the England national team. Football has come a long way to get to this point, and those whose skills on the pitch broke ground from as early as 1889 deserve all the recognition for their achievements.

In our latest article, we look at 11 historic milestones achieved by or with Black male players in English football. Here are a few of those moments:
- Arthur Wharton: First Black Professional Footballer (1889)
- Viv Anderson MBE: First Black England Senior International (1978)
- Andy Cole: First Black Premier League Golden Boot Winner (1994)
- Arsenal: First Team to Field Nine Black Players in a Starting XI (2002)

https://www.iamhistory.co.uk/home/2025/8/18/celebrating-over-100-years-of-black-footballers-in-englands-league

As the Premier League returns for its 34th season, marking 127 years of top-flight football in England, we’re reminded of the UK’s foundational role in shaping the global game. England is home to the world’s first football league, and its history is rich with not only moments of entertainment ...

06/08/2025

Post-WWII Paris became a sanctuary for Black artists, writers, and musicians from the U.S., Africa, and the Caribbean. In contrast to the systemic racism and segregation they faced at home, Paris promised recognition based on talent not the colour of their skin.

But this promise came with contradictions. France remained a colonial empire, deeply involved in violent conflicts and assimilation policies across Africa and the Caribbean. The liberty it championed in Paris stood in sharp contrast to the oppression it upheld abroad.

People like James Baldwin, Josephine Baker, and Richard Wright navigated this contradiction—finding both refuge and resistance in a city that was simultaneously haven and battleground.
Out of this tension emerged the Black Parisian Renaissance (1940-1960), a cultural awakening that reshaped art, music, and literature forever.

Discover how these remarkable artists transformed Paris and the world.

In the aftermath of World War II, a rubbled Paris reemerged as a global centre for artists, intellectuals, and revolutionaries. Among those drawn to its storied boulevards were Black writers, musicians, and visual artists from the United States, Africa, and the Caribbean. For them, Paris represented

28/07/2025

We are LOVING Ralph Lauren’s Oak Bluffs campaign. It celebrates the legacy of Black excellence on Martha’s Vineyard, taking inspiration from the vibrant community of Oak Bluffs. Expanding on the 2022 Morehouse and Spelman Collection, this campaign honors generations of Black families and luminaries, among them the Obamas, Spike Lee, and Henry Louis Gates Jr., who continue to vacation here.

Historically, Oak Bluffs has welcomed influential figures like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who is said to have written part of his “I Have a Dream” speech in this very setting, along with pioneers such as Madame C.J. Walker, Adam Clayton Powell Jr., and Paul Robeson.

At Oak Bluffs, style has always been intrinsic to identity: smart blazers, HBCU varsity jackets, heirloom sweaters, and crested caps all weave together stories of community gatherings, sunset celebrations, and church traditions. This collection is the American story and a celebration of Black heritage, joy, and excellence.

http://bit.ly/4obGGPD

21/07/2025

History's most powerful leadership lessons often come from those who fought against impossible odds. These extraordinary African women didn't just break barriers—they shattered them completely.

From Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti mobilizing 10,000 women in 1940s Nigeria to secure voting rights, to Leymah Gbowee uniting Christian and Muslim women to end Liberia's 14-year civil war (earning her the Nobel Peace Prize), to Muthoni Kirima becoming Kenya's first female Field Marshal in the Mau Mau resistance.

Learn more about these remarkable women and their strategies.

African women throughout history have gone against societal norms to lead on the frontline of liberation movements - fighting for justice, equality, and freedom. Sometimes, risking their own lives and freedom to do so. Women like Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, a Nigerian educator and political activist, Mu

14/07/2025

Did you know that the Afrobeats dominating today's global charts have roots stretching back over a century? From Ghana's Highlife music in the 1890s to Fela Kuti's revolutionary Afrobeat to today's superstars like Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Tems - Afrobeats has always been about more than music. It's been about identity, resistance, and cultural pride. We delve into how African creativity conquered the music industry.

Ask a music fan where Afrobeats emerged from, and chances are they will mention Fela Kuti, whose foray into music began in the 1950s. While this is partly accurate, the origins of Afrobeat date back 100 years to the social elites of the Gold Coast (now Ghana), West Africa. We trace the History of Af

13/06/2025

As redefines country music with her Cowboy Carter tour, we're spotlighting the real-life Black cowboys of the American West.

Did you know that 1 in 4 cowboys during the 1800s were Black? Yet their stories were nearly erased from history books. In Texas, these men (and women) broke barriers on horseback, shaped cattle culture, and paved the way for a new American mythos—long before country music caught up. We explore Texan Black Cowboys.

Westerns no longer reign supreme on our screens anywhere close to how they used to. However, there has been a resurgence recently with TV shows like Yellowstone and Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon . The genre has typically depicted a romanticised image of gunslinging, wrangling white

04/04/2025

Queen Nanny of the Maroons: A fearless leader, a symbol of resistance, and a legend in the fight for freedom. ✊🏾🔥 Discover her story of courage and rebellion.

Nanny of Maroons, also known as Queen Nanny or Granny Nanny is one of Jamaica’s seven national heroes. It is believed she was born around 1686, in what is today present day Ghana, who after being enslaved became the leader of the Windward Maroons in the 18th century that fought the resistance of c...

19/03/2025

Happy Women’s History Month. We are celebrating the month by turning the spotlight on Black women who use their platform to champion and elevate Black women’s voices. Those who have not shied away from difficult conversations and explored nuanced stories to share how multifaceted Black women really are. We decided to go with 5 from a list of some of our personal faves:

Issa Rae creator of Insecure
co-founder of Black Ballad
co-founder of Blavity and AfroTech
bestselling author of the Legacy of Orisha trilogy (Children of Blood and Bone)
award-winning playwright of Shifters, Lava

In honour of Women’s History Month we are celebrating women who have made a point of challenging stereotypes by championing and elevating Black women’s voices.  From television to the stage and from books to journalism, we are turning the spotlight on the incredible and trusted conduits of

07/02/2025

The Oscar nominations were recently announced as we come to the end of award season with Colman Domingo and Cynthia Erivo amongst the nods. Since the Academy awards began in 1929, only 23 Oscars have been awarded to Black actors, which is wild to think.

In recognition of their pinnacle achievements we decided to take a trip down memory lane to celebrate all the performance wins throughout history, from Hattie McDaniel’s 1940 breakthrough win for “Gone with the Wind” to Da'Vine Joy Randolph’s special moment in 2024 for her role in “The Holdovers”. Not forgetting of course, Denzel Washington, Halle Berry and Morgan Freeman’s. Which Oscar win do you remember most?

It’s almost the end of award season in Tinseltown, with the jewel of them all, The Academy Awards rolling out the red carpet on March 3rd.  Since The Academy Awards began in 1929, only 23 Oscars have gone to Black actors and actresses for their roles on the big screen. There have been mig

09/01/2025

As we look forward to another year of sharing more revelatory storytelling, we start with African Kings who ruled sophisticated, wealthy kingdoms, pioneered complex governance and shaped civilisations.

From Benin to Ethiopia, from the 11th to the 20th century, we bring you 10 African kings that provide a rich tapestry of African royal history like Sundiata Keita, the founder of the colossal Malian Empire and great uncle of Mansa Musa. The Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassi who modernised the country and crucially abolished slavery. Or how about getting to know Béhanzin of Dahomey, the last independent ruler of the infamous Dahomey kingdom.

Africa's kings created and ruled over some of the world’s greatest ever kingdoms from Benin to Mali. Kings such as Sundiata Keita and Euware the Great developed global partnerships and traded gold and salt, which became a source of immense wealth. Art and culture were central to many of the kingdo

29/11/2024

Black Friday is here, and the deals are rolling in! We've put together a curated list of Black-owned businesses, featuring everything from candles, architecturally inspired jewelry to skateboards and so much more. Perfect for finding unique gifts! Check out the list and share with friends and family for some holiday gift inspiration!

‘Tis the season of giving and we sourced the perfect gift ideas from UK and US Black-owned brands for your favourite people, and that also includes yourself. Compiling this list was actually a great discovery of Black creators who turned their passion into thriving businesses. These gifts will set...

27/11/2024

Stuck on gift ideas this season? Explore our list of 10 Black fashion designers making waves in both fashion and pop culture. Such as designers like Foday Dumbuya, who teamed up with Arsenal and Adidas to create a kit that boldly celebrates the club’s African diaspora heritage. Dive into the list and share it with friends!

Celebrating the creativity and trendsetting power of Black style and Black designers, inspired by African and Caribbean heritage.