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Black History Month which was first celebrated in Britain in 1987, aims to raise awareness of the achievements and contributions that black men and women have made to Britain and the world.

Forty years after the assassination of Dr Martin Luther King, the passing of the Race Relations Act and the appointment of the first female, black police officer, Norfolk celebrates Black History Month (BHM).

Film festival

In addition to the annual calendar of events including comedy, drama, lectures and exhibitions, 2008 sees the inaugural Norfolk Black Film Festival.

Shaft will show at the BHM Film Festival

Screenings will take place at various rural locations as part of Creative Arts East’s Village Screen initiative and also at Cinema City and the Sheringham Little Theatre.

The Black History Month kicks-off on Saturday, 27 September, 2008, with an African Market at The Forum in Norwich, bringing an exclusive range of traditional African goods and products.

During the day there will also be a range of artists and entertainers performing.

Across Norfolk

The festival continues throughout October with a variety of events across Norfolk.

The Tide And Time Museum in Great Yarmouth hosts Norfolk's Hidden Heritage Exhibition from Monday, 6 October, 2008, which commemorates the bicentenary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act.

King's Lynn Library welcomes African themed rhymes and stories to its Rhyme Times for pre-school children.

Full details of all the events can be found on the BHM website.