Black History Month: what's on across the borough throughout October
24 September 2026 · By Boroughly editorial — AI-assisted, human-reviewed.
Richmond upon Thames is marking Black History Month throughout October 2026 with a programme of events, library collections and free film screenings available to residents across the borough, including those in Barnes.
The borough's libraries are displaying curated book collections exploring Black heritage, stories and contributions. Alongside the physical collections, library card holders can access the British Film Institute's Replay platform free of charge — either in branch or via library Wi-Fi — including the 'Black Voices' and 'Black Britain on Film' collections, covering documentary, performance and oral history.
Highlights from the wider events programme include The Brown Suite at Richmond Theatre, The Black Presence in Georgian Theatre and Music in Hampton, A Taste of Africa in Twickenham, and the Black Magic exhibition at Eel Pie Island Museum.
Barnes Library on Church Road is part of the borough's network, so residents can browse the collections and access BFI Replay there throughout the month. The full programme is available on the council website. Black History Month 2026: honouring our communities