Brixton Black History Month Special

Join us at the library to get involved in improving content about Black history and culture on the world’s largest online encyclopaedia!

Many Black British people, events, organisations and communities are missing from Wikipedia or covered only in a few lines. If you would like to play a part in increasing visibility of underrepresented groups and to work together as a community, come get involved to help change that!

This Black History Month, we will be writing and improving Wikipedia articles on Black British history and culture in the UK. We will use Brixton Library’s materials at our disposal and access subscription-based databases (like the British Newspaper Archives), which is free to access for library members on the library’s computers.

We are a friendly and inclusive group of Wikipedia enthusiasts who gather every month to discuss and work together on various projects. Complete newcomers are welcome to join! You don’t need to be an expert in Wikipedia or in history. Experienced editors will be on hand to show you the ropes of editing and explain how to upload images, how to edit articles, how to create drafts, and more.

If you are already a Wikipedia editor, you can register on meta here: https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Meetup/Brixton/19

Topics
Please feel free to bring your own projects and topics. We will have a themed worklist on the day, including advanced tasks for those more comfortable with their editing skills.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of what we will cover during the event:

• Black people in local history, such as artists, activists, writers, athletes, and business owners;
• Black-led organisations, newspapers, churches, and community groups in London, particularly Brixton;
• Historical events and campaigns, notably anti-slavery movements and civil rights activism;
• Existing articles flagged as needing more references or general cleanup.

What should I bring?

You are welcome to bring your own laptop if you have one or use the available library computers.

You will likely need a Brixton Library card to access the library’s resources, including the British Newspaper Archive. If you are not yet a library member, joining is free and quick. Register online here.

Code of conduct

This is a friendly, inclusive space. All participants are expected to be respectful and welcoming, in line with the Wikimedia Universal Code of Conduct.

The event will take place on the ground floor of Brixton Library near computers 5 to 8.

We hope to see you there!