In recognition of their leadership, talent, and impact, this year’s Black History Month 2023 will highlight pioneering black women who have blazed a trail in literature, music, fashion, sport, business, hair, catering, academia, social and health care, and more. Click here to find out about the official Black History Month events happening throughout Scotland.
Below you will find local historical information about Black History in Fife, including the life of David Spence and the role of the Fife handloom weavers in the 18th Century. You will also find work by contemporary Fife creatives – such as stories, poems, and performances – as well as suggested reading lists and links to online resources.
If you are a local creator of colour and are interested in providing workshops and classes in our venues (digital and/or in person) then we’d love to hear from you! Please contact us at Events@onfife.com for more information.
Our Young People and Families team has chosen their favourite books highlighting black authors, characters, and strong women in black history. These can be borrowed from your local library – or reserve your copy via our online public catalogue.
You can also borrow the following titles from our eBook service, Libby:
Don’t forget to check out the following book lists from the Scottish Book Trust:
The wonderful Joseph Coelho, poet, children’s book author, and Children’s Laureate celebrates the important women who fought for justice and equality. This poem was recorded for our OnFife Kids & Families Facebook group.
Explore Chantal’s story and journey from Rwanda to Scotland. Created in 2018 as part of Glenrothes 70 Years On, a digital storytelling project by the people who live, work, and study in the town in its 70th year. With thanks to The Scottish Book Trust and The Scottish Government.
Burntisland-based Musician, Mike Delaitre, is originally from the Indian Ocean Island of Mauritius, an island of sun, warmth, and colour. With his roots in reggae, Mike’s music is a fusion of influences from Mauritius and beyond.
In October 2020, we commissioned Mike to record a performance for the people of Fife. In this short video, Mike tells us about his story and how he came to live in Burntisland, and his new Creative Scotland-funded project Konnection. He says:
“The video is the story of my journey from the sun to the moon. A journey of life, love and the four seasons.” – Mike Delaitre.
This commission was made possible thanks to funding from Creative Scotland’s Performing Arts Venue Relief Fund.
We have collated a set of resources and web links that relate to Scotland and Fife’s involvement in slavery, empire, and colonialism. You can explore them at the following link: Looking at Fife, Scotland and Slavery
You can find out more about Black History Month on the Official website.
In 2020, a group of students at the University of St Andrews researched links between Fife and unfree labour. They wanted to uncover some of the untold stories and have created a short film based on the story of David Spence, a slave who successfully fought for his freedom. The students named their work ‘The Spence Project’ in his memory.
In the 18th century, handloom weavers in Fife made hundreds of thousands of yards of a type of coarse unbleached linen called osnaburg. Osnaburg was exported from Scotland and used to make clothing for enslaved people in British colonies in North America and the West Indies. This short video explores Fife’s part in weaving linen that clothed enslaved people. Get in touch to find out more: LocalStudies.Kirkcaldy@onfife.com.