This month, Million Minutes have commissioned articles from young people about Black History Month. This week, Preston Stevens, aged 15, from St. John the Baptist RC Parish, Diocese of Birmingham, writes about a black civil rights leader that has inspired him.

I found an article about a man and as October is Black History Month I wanted to share it. It’s about a man named Roy Hackett who organised multiple protests to try and make a difference, and he played a big part in starting to get black people’s voices heard here in England. In April 1963 Mr Hackett led the Bristol bus boycott. He and other civil right leaders marched through the city centre trying to end discrimination on employment. He was doing this because around 50 years ago it was still legal not employ someone just because of the colour of their skin. It was also common for white people would refuse to ride a bus if a black person was the driver. In 1962 Mr Hackett’s wife was refused a job as a bus conductor, even though she had all the relevant qualifications. Mr Hackett held multiple protests knowing that things had to change. Then in August 1963 the bus company announced that they would no longer be banning black people from working on their buses. "It felt like heaven," he said "Honestly, I called my friend on the phone and said, ‘Our dream has come true.'"

People like Mr Hackett are so important because without them there would be no change in the world. And everyone should wish to be like him for their own reasons, because if we didn’t have Mr Hackett’s in the world then there would be no positive change.

I think that Black History Month is so, so important because it shows the discrimination black people have had to go through on the basis of the colour of their skin. It really needs to be talked about more, so it does not get forgotten and the next generations get to see this and understand We still need to keep reminding everyone so things don`t go backwards ever again.

I’m sure Roy Hackett would be very inspiring to so many people because he knew that he and his wife weren’t being treated right, so he made sure he made a change. Roy Hackett was a hero of his time, and I personally think he was a great man and deserves to be spoken about during Black History Month.

Preston Stevens, 15
St. John the Baptist RC Parish, Diocese of Birmingham