Launched in July 2022 by the North West Migrants Forum and funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Our mission is to promote racial equality and challenge racism by uncovering and celebrating the often-overlooked contributions of Black communities in Northern Ireland.
We envision a more inclusive and equitable society in Northern Ireland—one that acknowledges and celebrates the heritage of Black and minoritised communities as an essential part of its cultural fabric. By highlighting these underrepresented stories, we aim to challenge dominant narratives and expand public understanding of our shared history.
The Black Lives Matter protests in Northern Ireland in 2020 brought significant media attention and sparked public discussions, which also highlighted the gaps in knowledge about Black history, as well as the contributions and presence of Black people in the region. This prompted the North West Migrants Forum to intensify its focus on Black history.
In 2020 and 2021, NWMF delivered educational programmes centred on Black history and heritage in schools, community groups and local councils. We organised online debates and hosted a Black history quiz night. Our inaugural Black History Summit in 2021 was incredibly well received, inspiring us to further expand our initiatives.
With the support of our primary funder, the National Lottery Heritage Fund, along with the dedication of our supporters and the hard work of our researcher, Dr Naomi Green, we successfully conducted the development phase involving extensive research and oral interviews.
Now, as we move into the delivery phase of the project, we want to utilise this gathered history to break down stereotypes by emphasising the diversity of the Black population in Northern Ireland and their contributions at all levels of society.
Our history should be representative and inclusive of everyone, reflecting how migration and interactions with the wider world have shaped our experiences.
Dr Naomi Green is the former programmes manager and lead researcher for the NWMF ‘Hidden History Project’ exploring Black heritage in Northern Ireland. She is currently Policy and Public Affairs officer at BIMA. Her PhD focused on the integration and belonging of Muslims in Northern Ireland. As an independent researcher and lecturer, she specialises in Islamophobia, the Muslim community, and social integration and is currently developing an independent project to mark Muslim Lascar graves in Belfast. Naomi is actively involved in various community initiatives, serves on the Executive Board of the Northern Ireland Interfaith Forum, and is a member of the Clonard Monastery Peace and Reconciliation Commission.
Chantelle Lunt is a writer, lecturer, PhD researcher, and activist. She has a professional background in policing and children’s social care, her PhD research explores the further educational journeys of care-experienced individuals. As the Chair of Merseyside Alliance for Racial Equality CIC (MARE), she leads grassroots, community-driven education initiatives that promote racial equality across Merseyside. Chantelle is also Halewood’s Mayor and a Knowsley Borough Councillor, making history as the first Black woman elected to these positions.
With a strong commitment to social justice, Chantelle’s work spans political, academic, and activist spaces, advocating for meaningful change in education, policing, and racial equality.
Dr Ebun Joseph is a diversity and race relations consultant; CEO and founder of the Institute of Anti-racism and Black Studies (IABS); special rapporteur on racial equality and racism in Ireland; module coordinator and lecturer in Black Studies at University College Dublin (UCD), the first in Ireland which she started in 2018; and founder of the African Scholars Association Ireland (AfSAI), which she chaired from 2018 to 2022. Dr Joseph held the position of Career Development Consultant at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland from 2017 to 2021 and was a teaching fellow at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) 2019–2020, Ireland, and a Training and Employment Officer with Employment for People from Immigrant Communities (EPIC) between 2007 and 2017. Ebun is an author, TV panellist, columnist and equality activist. With a research focus on labour markets and race relations, she has presented at several conferences, businesses, and non-profit organisations. Her authored books include Critical Race Theory and Inequality in the labour market: Racial Stratification in Ireland (Manchester University Press, 2020) and Equity in the workplace: Stories of Black Irish women in Ireland (2024; 2025). She also co-authored the book Challenging Perceptions of Africa in schools: Critical approaches to Global Justice Education (Routledge, 2020). Dr. Joseph’s 2020 Irish Journal of Sociology article ‘Composite counter storytelling as a technique for challenging ambivalence about race and racism in the labour market in Ireland’ won the 2020 IRJ Prize awarded to the paper adjudicated to represent the best original contribution to the journal in a given year
The travelling exhibition is presented in two thematic series, offering both historical context and contemporary insight. Together, they reveal the richness and diversity of Black heritage in Northern Ireland honouring the past while amplifying present-day voices and lived experiences.
The first phase of the exhibition is already on tour and is receiving incredible feedback. Now we are searching for those more contemporary stories. If you know someone in the modern era you feel deserves to be celebrated and included in our next exhibition, tell us about them here: https://bit.ly/NIstories
Historical Perspectives – This series explores the long-standing connections between Black heritage and Ireland, uncovering stories that reveal a rich and often overlooked shared history.
Contemporary Voices – This series celebrates the diverse and dynamic experiences of Black individuals in Northern Ireland today, amplifying their voices and contributions to modern society.
The exhibition will tour multiple locations across Northern Ireland, starting in 2025. Each venue will host one of the thematic series, giving communities the opportunity to engage with powerful stories that challenge, educate, and inspire.
| Location | Dates | Address |
| Derry Central Library | 1st – 30th July 2025 | 35 Foyle St, Derry, BT48 6AL |
| Creggan Library | 2nd – 30th August 2025 | 59 Central Dr, Derry, BT48 9QH |
| Shantallow Library | 2nd – 29th September 2025 | 92 Racecourse Rd, Derry, BT48 8DA |
| Strabane Library | 1st – 29th October 2025 | 1 Railway St, Strabane BT82 8EF |
| Coleraine Library | 2nd February – 30th March 2026 | Queen St, Coleraine BT52 1BE |
| Dungiven Library | 1st April – 28th May 2026 | 107 Main St, Dungiven, Derry, BT47 4LE |
| Belfast Libraries | 1st July – 30th October 2026 | Details to be confirmed |
Opening times may vary. Please contact the library or visit their website.
As part of the exhibition programme, we’re delivering monthly workshops on Black heritage.
These interactive sessions opened important conversations about race and racism and featured personal stories from members of the Black community, along with opportunities to explore and celebrate Black culture and heritage.
The workshops created a safe and engaging space for young people to learn, ask questions and reflect on the experiences of others in their own communities.
Workshops were delivered at the following schools and institutions:
STAY INFORMED
Email info@nwmf.org.uk to join the mailing list, or call 07912 295 771 to volunteer or sponsor future summits.
