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Who's your #blackbritishhero?

#blackbritishhero is a social media campaign running throughout November 2016 celebrating brilliant black Britons who have made a contribution to our society, whether they are eminent professionals, stars of sport and entertainment, local heroes or ground-breaking talent. We’ve asked over 80 BBC faces, high profile individuals and major institutions, as well as school groups, to nominate the individuals who have inspired them. And we’d love you to do the same using the hashtag, #blackbritishhero – simply post who your hero is and why on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. During the campaign we’ll be posting some of your contributions here, and scroll to the bottom to see our answers to frequently asked questions.

To get inspired check out a few of the nominations we’ve gathered, and what you've already been saying...

As soon as the campaign launched you started getting involved...

In our first week we particularly focused on the heroes of youth culture…

Lewis Hamilton responded to Tinie Tempah's nomination

And you made more nominations of your own...

Next up it's been the turn of the world of film and entertainment...

Watch a selection of nominations from the world of entertainment we've already captured...

Cyrille Regis and David Harewood have been chatting over David's nomination

Floella Benjamin's responded to Nikki's nomination

And other conversations have started...

Week three sees a focus on sport and you've already jumped in with a few sporting nominations of your own...

Here are some of the sport related nominations we've gathered...

And when BBC Sport did a shout out for heroes they came flooding in...

With some major sporting institutions getting involved...

In the final week we’ve got a focus on the professionals - from science to law; medicine to the arts. And you've already come up with some inspiring suggestions of your own...

While some of your heroes have been closer to home...

Here are some of the nominations we've collected of professionals and unsung heroes...

Other institutions have made nominations of their own...

And pupils from Crest Academy, in London, have created films celebrating some of their heroes...

It's been four amazing weeks. Thank you for all your nominations over the campaign. Here are some of our favourite moments...

We're finishing our campaign now, but there are still ways you can celebrate black Britons who have made a difference:

To discover further trailblazers take a look at social historian Emma Dabiri's guide to 15 great black Britons who changed our world, and Art UK's selection of groundbreaking black and British artists.

Frequently Asked Questions

What do you mean by black?

The Black and British season is focused on the experiences, history and culture of people of African and Caribbean heritage in Britain, and their impact on the nation as a whole. As part of that, we're asking high profile individuals, BBC stars, major institutions, community groups and audiences to nominate who their black British heroes are - the choice is yours.

What do you mean by hero?

Nominating a hero is, of course, hugely subjective, but we encourage you to choose someone who means something to you and who has made a significant positive contribution either to your life, to UK culture and society, or a particular field of expertise. We want to hear from as many people as possible who they think best fits the bill, to ensure we acknowledge the huge range of contributions black Britons have made to the UK.

Why are you running this campaign?

The BBC is committed to championing and driving diversity throughout our channels, representing and reflecting the whole of the UK - all nations, all regions; all classes, races and ages; all genders and sexualities.

#blackbritishhero is one element of a specially commissioned season - ‘Black and British’. The season has been designed to celebrate the achievements of black people in the UK and explore the rich culture and history of black Britain, as well as stimulate conversation. As a whole the season covers a number of key shared moments in our nation’s history from a variety of points of view, including those of non-black presenters, contributors and commentators.

As part of its public service remit, the BBC produces seasons focused around key anniversaries or exploring specific countries, cultures and people. Recent examples include the super rich, India and China, and in 2008, the White season.

How can I take part?

You can take part simply by using the hashtag #blackbritishhero on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram or Snapchat. You can post text, images or even shoot a mobile video. The campaign is being supported by the BBC throughout November 2016 and we’ll be posting some audience nominations here.