Many thanks to Sokari Ekine, author of the blog Black Looks, for responding to our Black History Month interview - here are her answers in full.

1. Can you please explain who you are and summarise your perspective of the aims and purpose of BHM?

My name is Sokari Ekine, I am online Editor for Pambazuka News, a Pan African weekly newsletter for social justice. I am also an award winning blogger ( Black Looks and African Women Blogs, activist and human rights defender. I am not sure what you are asking here - my perspective on the present aims and purpose or what I would like to see? I am assuming you mean the former: The aim is clearly to educate and to inform both the Black and White population of Britain about Black history and culture through various mediums. Theatre, cinema, discussions, articles, stories, music and dance.

2. For 30 years, October has marked the celebration of black history and culture in the United Kingdom. Why is it important that we carry on this tradition?

It is important because the stories being told have tended to focus on the Caribbean and Black Britain over the past 200 years with this years focus on the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. There is more to Black history than what has so far been presented. Much of what is presented is Black British cutlure which is fine but it is insufficient for a yearly event that has been taking place for 30 years. It is important to continue because the younger generation of Black British children often have very little knowledge about their own history which is not taught in schools and even when it is touched on it is from a European perspective.

3. Which black personality has had the greatest influence on your life and why?

Mrs Funmilayo Ransome Kuti - A Nigerian feminist and activist and the mother of musician Fela (for more on her see this review on my blog) who taught me the strength of women, community first and gave me the courage and will to struggle for social justice. Malcolm X who taught me the importance and meaning of Blackness and the need for vigilance and consciousness in my life.

4. Throughout the month there are numerous events running across the country, encapsulating various facets of black history and culture – what would your dream event be? No matter how impossible!

For Malcolm X to make a speaking tour across schools and colleges in the country.

5. Name one website that you would recommend to someone with an interest in black culture or black history (other than your own, of course!).

Unfortunately there are not many UK based sites that I could recommend.

The BlackList

Pambazuka News.

History is being made every day - history was what happened yesterday and 1000 years ago.

6. Do you think that the omissions that you speak of in your article are symptomatic of larger issues contained within the concept of BHM?

Yes because I believe the thinking behind BHM is too parochial and after 30 years there needs to be some rethinking on how to expand the material and presentation of BHM. There are so many untold histories. What about the histories of the Black people of Latin America, their culture, their language such as Kreyol in Haiti, the Haitian revolution? The slave revolts in the Caribbean and in the US. Black people who were exterminated by Hitler in the concentration camps. The colonial and pre colonial history - struggles for independence in Mozambique, Algeria and so on. The pre-colonial history of Africa, out Kindgoms, City States and Empires. Our universities, our inventions, our sociopolitical organisations of societies. Traditional religions. None of these are dealt with in BHM. BHM is not just important to people of African descent but to all people of Britian - they too need to know we have a history. Each year could have one or two main themes and also include a festival of African cinema from the continent and Diaspora.