Black History Month offers Scout Leaders a brilliant opportunity to bring history alive through the stories of extraordinary explorers, pioneers, and adventurers. Here’s how to make it meaningful, engaging, and memorable for your young people.

Start With Someone They Already Know

Begin your October programme by talking about Dwayne Fields—their Chief Scout. Ask your scouts: “Did you know our Chief Scout made history?”

Dwayne became the UK’s Chief Scout in 2024—the first Black person to hold this role. But more than that, he was the first Black Briton to reach the North Pole in 2010. Share his story: growing up on a council estate in Hackney, facing gun and knife crime as a teenager, then finding refuge and purpose in outdoor spaces like Hackney Marshes and Epping Forest.

Then connect it to other famous scouts: Did they know Barack Obama was a scout? Or that Sir Trevor McDonald, the legendary British newsreader, was also a scout? What about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., who was in Troop 151 in Atlanta? Or Colin Powell, the former U.S. Secretary of State? Or Guion Bluford, the first African-American astronaut in space—an Eagle Scout?

Sports fans in your troop will love knowing that baseball legend Hank Aaron (755 home runs!) was a Boy Scout, as was Ernie Banks (“Mr. Cub”). Scouting has been part of the journey for many remarkable Black leaders and achievers across every field imaginable.

Discussion starter for scouts: “Why do you think seeing someone who looks like you doing something adventurous matters?” “How did the outdoors change Dwayne’s life?” “What Scout values do you think helped these Leaders in their careers?” “Which of these famous Scouts inspires you most, and why?”

This isn’t distant history—it’s happening now, and it’s happening in scouting.

Explorers Who Blazed Trails

Young people love adventure stories. Share these remarkable explorers whose achievements deserve to be celebrated:

Matthew Henson – Co-discoverer of the North Pole in 1909. While Robert Peary often gets sole credit, Henson, a Black explorer, was actually first to reach the pole. He was an expert dog-sled driver, built sledges, spoke Inuit, and survived multiple Arctic expeditions.

Activity idea: Have scouts research navigation techniques Henson would have used. Try basic orienteering or night navigation and discuss how much harder it would have been in Arctic conditions with 1909 technology.

Bessie Coleman – Told she couldn’t attend flight school in America because she was Black and a woman, she taught herself French, moved to France, and became the first Black woman to earn a pilot’s license in 1921. She performed daring aerial stunts across America.

Activity idea: Challenge Scouts to learn something new that people say is “too hard” for them. Document their progress over a month. Discuss determination and refusing to accept limitations others place on you.

Major Charles Young – The third Black graduate of West Point who became the first African American superintendent of a national park. He led the Buffalo Soldiers in building roads and infrastructure in Sequoia National Park in 1903.

Activity idea: Connect this to conservation badges. Do a trail maintenance project or litter pick. Discuss how Young’s work helped preserve natural spaces for everyone to enjoy today.

Interactive Activities That Teach

Living Timeline (Best for Scouts and Explorers): Give small groups different time periods. Have them research Black British history from that era and create a presentation. Include Roman Britain (African soldiers in Roman army), Tudor period (John Blanke, the royal trumpeter), Victorian era, Windrush generation, and modern day. Each group presents, creating a full timeline.

Heritage Badge Connection (All sections): Many sections have heritage or community badges. Use Black History Month as the focus. Cubs could research local Black history, Scouts could interview community members, Explorers could create a community history project.

The Representation Challenge (All sections): Give Scouts magazines, history books, or online articles about outdoor activities, science, or exploration. Have them count how many people of different backgrounds they see. Discuss why representation matters and how it’s changing.

Creative Campfire (All sections): Dedicate a campfire evening to Black history. Have Scouts prepare short sketches, songs, or stories about figures they’ve researched. Make it fun and interactive, not like a school lesson.

Addressing the Hard Questions

Your Scouts will ask difficult questions about racism, slavery, and discrimination. Don’t shy away from age-appropriate honesty:

For Beavers and Cubs: Focus on fairness and kindness. “A long time ago, some people treated others unfairly because of how they looked. That was wrong. Today we’re learning about amazing people and making sure everyone is included.”

For Scouts: Be more direct. Explain historical racism and discrimination. Connect it to scout values of equality and respect. Acknowledge that these problems haven’t completely disappeared.

For Explorers and Network: Have open discussions. Talk about systemic racism, the civil rights movement, and ongoing work toward equality. Encourage them to think critically about fairness in society today.

Partner With Your Community

Reach out to local Black community organizations, cultural centers, or faith groups. Invite speakers, musicians, or artists to your meetings. Real conversations with real people are more powerful than any worksheet.

Could you partner with a local African-Caribbean community center for a joint event? Could a Black storyteller visit for an evening? Could your Scouts volunteer with organizations serving diverse communities?

Make It Last Beyond October

The real test: Are you making lasting change or just ticking a box for one month?

Year-round actions:

  • Ensure your troop’s photos and promotional materials reflect diversity
  • When teaching any topic—navigation, camping, first aid—include diverse historical figures
  • Actively recruit leaders and members from all backgrounds
  • Build genuine relationships with different communities, not just transactional “diversity” events
  • Challenge stereotypes whenever they appear, even casually

Resources to Get You Started

  • The Black Curriculum: Free educational resources specifically for youth groups
  • Show Racism the Red Card: Materials and workshops for young people
  • Local museum education departments: Many offer free Black history workshops
  • Scout Association resources: Check your local website for official BHM materials

Your Challenge This October

Get your Scouts to each choose one person from Black history who inspires them—not necessarily famous, could be someone from their own community. Have them find out: What did this person achieve? What obstacles did they overcome? What can we learn from them?

At your final October meeting, create a “Wall of Inspiration” where scouts share their findings.

Black History Month isn’t about making your Scouts feel guilty about the past. It’s about showing them the full, rich, diverse tapestry of human achievement. It’s about ensuring every scout can find heroes who look like them and do amazing things.

When we teach Black history well, we don’t just educate—we inspire. And that’s what scouting is all about.

What will your Scouts discover this October?