Why we're adding Black Mathematician Month to our calendars

It's time to start promoting black mathematicians and talking about building a more representative mathematical community

This October marks the 30th Black History Month in the UK. The annual event, first celebrated in the US in 1976, aims to highlight the ongoing struggle for equality and to educate people on the achievements of members of the African diaspora.

Of course there is plenty to celebrate, from both a historical perspective and in modern society. It is easy to reel off a list of black stars from football, athletics, basketball or cricket. The evolution of popular music has been driven by black artists, from Stevie Wonder and Aretha Franklin to Kanye West and Beyonci(C). The success of Lena Waithe at the Emmys and Moonlight at the Oscars shows the abundance of black excellence on screen, and the beginnings of recognition at the most prestigious award ceremonies. There are also increasing examples of mainstream success in areas such as literature and politics where, with a record number of black and minority ethnic MPs elected in the 2017 General Election, the UK parliament is more diverse than ever - although there is still a long way to go.