In 2020/21 following the Black Lives Matter campaign and debates about statues of historical figures with direct links to slavery, Bradford Council commissioned an external review. This review involved key members of Bradford’s communities examining the district’s monuments and statues.

A recommendation of the review was to make Bradford’s Black History more visible so that people could learn about the long history of black people in our community and the contribution they have made to our society.

This document aims to give a broad overview of Black History in Britain and Bradford. It is not a complete record but provides a framework to be filled out with more detail and further information about Bradford’s rich Black History. It is a starting point for learning, further research and local Black history projects.

Many black people have been left out of the stories that are highlighted in British history. We want to put this right. So If you have information about a person or a place you think should be added to this Black history timeline for Bradford please get in touch by emailing – local.studies@bradford.gov.uk