Are you planning a trip to London? Wanting to experience more than just seeing Buckingham Palace and the London Eye? Do you want to know about 'Black Britain' but don't know where to start?
Here's our guide for visitors wanting the ultimate low down on London's black culture. Here you'll find restaurants, bars, activities, events, and more all catered to those who are #blackandabroad.
The thought of coming to London can be overwhelming, especially as it's one of the largest cities in the world. But we have the perfect starting place for you that will not disappoint...Brixton, situated smack bang in the middle of south London, and enriched with black culture.
“Brixton was like discovering a black utopia”
Before we get started, here's a little background info as to why Brixton is a sacred place for Black British history. The first wave of immigrants (492 individuals) that formed the British African-Caribbean community arrived in 1948 at Tilbury Docks on the Empire Windrush from Jamaica. The majority of immigrants also known as the "Windrush generation" remained in the UK and settled permanently.
Moving forward to 1998, The area in front of the Tate Library in Brixton was renamed "Windrush Square" to mark the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the Windrush ship. So it seems the perfect place for us to welcome you.
See how the ladies of Curlture UK spent a day showing us around London!
There's so much more to explore in Brixton that we didn't catch on camera, such as Brixton Village and the o2 Academy, so be sure to explore further. It goes without saying that the history of Black people of London expands beyond Brixton.
Is there really Black history in London?...Heap loads is the answer. To learn more you can always book yourself on the Black History Walk tour. Lasting approx 140 minutes your guide will take you through hundreds of years of the African presence and contribution to London’s way of life. Click image for more info.
Now don't be fooled by the British accent or our tea drinking chronicles, London knows how to turn up with a huge variety of events where you'll be able to hear Bashment, Soca, and Afrobeat to Trap, House and 90's throwback tracks during the nightlife activities.
Here are our top 10 events in London - Serving the ultimate black experience
Reggaeoke - a brilliant fun-filled night with reggae karaoke
Block party cinema - Block Party Cinema brings movies, music, and street food together to create a unique, throwback vibe
Flovortex - FLO, A spoken word vortex every 1st Tuesday of every month run by Natalie 'Floacist' Stewart of Floetry.
Hot Since 91 - A retro-themed experience packed full of old-school 90's goodness
Old school Sundays - a weekly hangout for fun-loving people mixing nostalgic tv, music and games with great food
Faded - All about cool crowds, good vibes and hard hitting music. They keep it fresh all day every day
Hip hop karaoke - The UK's Original Hip Hop Karaoke EVERY Thursday
Supa Dupa Fly - The essential fixture for any 90s & 00s, Hiphop, RnB and Garage lover
Hip Hop v RnB - Ripping through the greatest Hip-Hop and RnB anthems both old and new
Got Soul - The UK's Premier #NeoSoul lounge is weekly, Every Sunday and... it's Free
SHOOBS!
Here's a bit of London slang for you. The word 'Shoobs' means to go to a party, (although no longer commonly used). To discover more events and parties across London town, we recommend checking out shoobs.com where you're guaranteed to find something suitable or you to shake your tail feather. (Shoobs.com)
Not quite your thing? Perhaps you fancy something more relaxing? We understand your London trip may be your first break from work in a while, so going to parties may not be ideal. Well look no further, as we'll also give you the run down on the perfect chill out spots which still offers you the best in London's black culture.
African Market - The authentic marketplace and networking event for original and high-quality handcrafted African -and African inspired – designs
Hackney Empire- The Hackney Empire is becoming the Capital's major independent venue, dedicated to providing the widest range of popular culture
Levi Roots restaurant - it’s not a restaurant, it’s a ‘Rastaurant'. Traditional Caribbean favourites, including smoked meats and vegetables
Stratford Theatre Royal Bar - Free Monday night Comedy @ one of London's longest established free comedy shows whilst enjoying authentic carribbean food. Or perhaps even watch a theatre performance.
Troy Bar - Community bar for pints and Caribbean food with weekly open-mic nights and jazz funk jam sessions
Box Park Croydon - BoxPark Croydon brings modern street food, fine dining, craft beer & refreshing drinks to Croydon
Dalston Market - Highlights of this excellent market include a 24-hour bagel bakery, cheap fruit and vegetables, the sound of reggae music
Roof top Film club - A unique outdoor cinema experience screening classic, cult and recent film releases on an established rooftop in Peckham.
So there you have it, some of London's best kept secrets and amazing places to come and experience good vibes with like minded people in spaces celebrating our Blackness. We hope this guide will help and adds to your fantastic trip to London!
Jay & Tri of CURLture
Jay & Tri, two young women from London and best friends since 2005, sought to make a difference in the society we live in. To do so, they founded CURLture in March 2014. In its early stages, CURLture predominantly focused on how to care for and maintain natural hair for black women. Since then, the platform has naturally expanded to also cover Black pop culture, beauty and lifestyle and support of Black Owned Businesses.
CURLture is about accepting yourself and having confidence in how you naturally are, empowering each other and building a stronger community and nurturing the young minds and futures entrepreneurs. You can learn more about Jay & Tri and Curlture by visiting culture.co.uk.
