38 Instagram Accounts To Follow For Self-Education On Black History & Anti-Racist Action In The UK

Marches in support of the Black Lives Matter movement continue across the UK this week. In London, thousands gathered in Trafalgar Square and in front of the U.S. embassy to protest the violent deaths of Black Americans including George Floyd, Tony McDade, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery. Manchester and Cardiff saw similar protests, with a Bristol demonstration planned for Saturday June 7.

On social media, Blackout Tuesday has quietened our feeds and so we look to the learning that can be done by listening to the stories of Black people in our local communities and across the UK. The Windrush Scandal, 2017's Grenfell Tower fire, the recent death of rail worker Belly Mujinga, and the disproportionate number of Black people in Britain dying due to coronavirus are only a few examples of injustices happening in the UK right now.

Creating real change requires a continued effort that carries over into the every day – in addition to donations and localised activism, we must amplify these voices and experiences, being actively anti-racist in our conversations, interactions, and thinking.

We encourage you to follow and listen to the accounts below, but –particularly where individuals are concerned – be aware of not to asking for further education, resource, or time. Non-Black allies can read about meaningful ways of supporting Black people in the UK here, as well as finding links to learning materials. The below list of Instagram accounts is not exhaustive, nor will it ever be. Instead, we will continuously update it as an evolving resource for self-education and allyship in the UK.

Individuals

• Reni Eddo-Lodge – Writer and author of ‘Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race’
• Akala - Musician and activist
• Yomi Adegoke - Award winning journalist and co-author of ‘Slay In Your Lane’
• Candice Braithwaite - Presenter, writer, and founder of MAKEMOTHERHOODDIVERSE
• Munroe Bergdorf - Model, activist and founder of GODDESS Platform
• Layla F. Saad - Author of ‘Me And White Supremacy’ and host of ‘Good Ancestor Podcast’
• Afua Hirsch - Writer, broadcaster and author of ‘Brit(ish)’
• Phyllis Akua Opoku-Gyimah - Co-founder and Executive Director of UK Black Pride, also known as Lady Phyll
• Liv Little - Founder and CEO of gal-dem
• Josh Rivers - Head Of Comms at UK Black Pride
• Travis Alabanza - Artist & performer
• Tanya Compass - Youth engagement specialist and host of lxdsontour podcast
• Kelechi Okafor - Host of Say Your Mind podcast
• Dawn Butler - Labour MP for Brent Central

Organisations

• Black Girl Fest - The UK’s first arts and culture festival celebrating Black British women and girls
• UK Black Pride - Europe’s largest celebration for LGBTQ people of African, Asian, Caribbean, Middle Eastern and Latin American descent
• Kwanda - Non-profit dedicated to building reliable and empowering systems for black communities
• GODDESS Platform - LGBTQ crowdfunding platform founded by Munroe Bergdorf

History

• Black Cultural Archives - The only national heritage centre dedicated to collecting, preserving and celebrating the histories of African and Caribbean people in Britain
• Black History Walks - Guided walking, bus and river tours of London's 2000 years of Black history
• The Black Curriculum - UK initiative that teaches Black history all year round in schools
• UK Isn’t Innocent - Instagram account highlighting 21st century racism against Black people in Britain, as well as the history of racism in the UK
• Fill In The Blanks - Campaign led by students from former British colonies seeking to mandate the teaching of colonial history
• Free Black Uni – Education-focused organisation working to re-distribute knowledge and create a space of community and care for Black students

Publishers, Books & Storytelling

• #MERKY Books - Penguin Books imprint dedicated to publishing the best new fiction, non-fiction and poetry, curated by Stormzy
• Token Magazine - Literature & arts magazine featuring under-represented writers & artists
• gal-dem - Award-winning online and print publication committed to sharing perspectives from women and non-binary people of colour
• AZ Magazine - Online publication, social space & event ogrganisers for LGBTQ people of colour
• Black Ballad - UK based lifestyle platform that seeks to tell the human experience through eyes of black British women
• Guap Mag - Youth-led new media platform dedicated to discovering, showcasing and nurturing diverse emerging creatives
• Millennial Black - A manifesto for Black working womxn, coming 2021 (see the online store here)
• Curlture - Online empowerment platform for Black women created by Trina Charles and Jay-Ann Lopez

Networking & Safe Spaces

• Meeting Of Minds - A platform that connects women of African descent
• Dope Black Women - A digital safe space for Black women
• Women Connect UK - Female forward collective creating inclusive spaces and equal opportunities for women and non-binary folk in the creative industry
• Black British Parent - Safe space for Black British families

Local Collectives & Groups

• BBZ London - Black queer art and DJ collective based in London
• BLACK SISTERHOOD - For London-based protestors

Non-Black Allies Sharing & Creating Resources For Allyship

• Das Penman - Scottish student sharing and creating digestible content on anti-racism for white Brits
• Florence Given - UK-based artist and author