The African Princes:
Sarah Forbes Bonetta

At the age of five, Sarah Forbes Bonetta Davies, born into a royal West African dynasty, was taken to England and presented to Queen Victoria as a "gift" from one royal family to another. A unique and admired figure in history, she spent her life between the British royal household and her homeland in Africa. Her photographic portraits can now be seen at the National Portrait Gallery, London throughout October.

Idris Elba Hackney to Hollywood

OIdris Elba got his first acting break as a young boy in Hackney and after some mesmerising, high profile screen performances, is now touted to be the next James Bond. With acting credits as long as they are varied (and a parallel musical career), Elba is hot, hot property in both London and LA. Isabel Appio tracked the busy man down for a special BHM interview.

Going for Gold

In the countdown to London's 2010 Olympic Games, BHM profiles three of our brightest young hopefuls going for gold......

Breaking the Silence

Growing up in Zimbabwe as a female I was irrelevant. As a lesbian, I was non-existent and my visibility would have cost me jail time, 'corrective' rape, forced marriage, banishment or even my death. Throughout my life in Zimbabwe there was not one single portrayal anywhere of gayness, queerness or lesbianism combined with Africaness. The only person that I had ever heard of being gay was Elton John and even that was spoken of in whispers. Africans it seemed were not gay, and so I had nowhere to place or understand the feelings that were abound within me.

The Art of African Threading

All over the continent of Africa, hair forms a vital part of body adornment. The human head has historically functioned as a canvas for creativity expressing the individual.