Last updated: September 2026. Every piece in this guide was checked in stock and live on the day of writing.
Every October, UK Black History Month fills timelines with lists of brands to support. Most of those lists point at a handful of names, and most of the money ends up a long way from the people whose history the month is about.
This guide takes a different route. Every piece below is handmade by an African artisan and sold on Sokofa, a Black owned UK marketplace where sellers pass a Verified Seller Programme before they can list. Most of the makers work in Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya. Buy one of these and the money goes to the person who made it, not to a reseller of factory prints.
Each piece also carries a piece of history in its making: a symbol, a technique or a tradition that is centuries old. That is what makes them worth giving in October, and worth keeping long after it.
What makes a good Black History Month gift
A good gift for the month does three things. It is made by the community it celebrates. It carries a story you can tell when you hand it over. And it is something the recipient will actually use or display, not a slogan that gets put in a drawer by November.
Every piece here was chosen against those three tests. Prices were correct on the day of writing.
Under 60 GBP: jewellery and everyday pieces
African Brass Cowrie Shell Cuff, 35 GBP. A hammered brass cuff with a single natural cowrie shell bound on with fine wire. The cowrie was once currency across large parts of West Africa, and it still stands for wealth and protection. Made in Kenya, open backed so it fits most wrists.
Royal Purple Woven Basket Bag, 37.99 GBP. A handwoven straw basket bag with a violet cotton band and a fringed scarf tied at the front. One block of colour, so it works with a patterned outfit instead of fighting it.
Maasai Beaded Brass Cuff and Ring Set, 38 GBP. White and gold seed beads worked outward from a single centre bead, on a brass cuff with a matching ring. Maasai beadwork is a language of its own in Kenya, where colour and pattern can signal age, status and occasion.
Sisal Kiondo Tote, Navy and Cream Stripe, 55 GBP. The kiondo is the Kenyan basket bag, woven from sisal fibre by hand. This one has a leather flap that buckles shut, which makes it the rare basket bag you can take on the Tube without worrying about what falls out.
60 to 100 GBP: pieces with a symbol at their heart
Gye Nyame Adinkra Beaded Wall Mask, 80 GBP. Hand carved sese wood from Ghana, with the Gye Nyame symbol beaded across the brow and a rim of cowrie shells. Gye Nyame is the adinkra you see most often in Ghana, on cloth, gates and buses. It means "except for God", a statement about the limits of what anyone does alone. Only a few are in stock.
Beaded Africa Map, Pan African Colours, 100 GBP. A carved wooden map of the continent beaded in the red, black and green of the Pan African flag, bordered with real cowries. If you want one object that says what the month is about from across the room, this is it.
Jola Adire Trouser Co-ord Set, 80.99 GBP. Adire is the indigo resist dyed cloth of the Yoruba people of south west Nigeria, a craft passed down through generations of women dyers. This two piece is a matching top and wide leg trousers, and it can be made to measure on the product page.
Senator Kaftan and Trouser Set, Black and Gold, 65 GBP. A men's senator kaftan with gold embroidery at the placket, collar and cuffs. It is cut to the wearer's own measurements rather than a size chart, which takes about five days before it ships. Order early if it is for an October event.
Beaded Elephants, Mother and Child, 92 GBP. Two hand carved Ghanaian elephants, about 10cm and 7cm, each with a blanket of tiny glass beads. Sold as a pair and meant to stay one. A quiet gift for a new parent or a grandmother.
Statement pieces: history you can hang
Mother and Son, Original Acrylic, 220 GBP. An original painting from Ghana, 13 by 20 inches: a young mother in profile with her child carried on her back, in red, violet, green and pale gold. One of one. When it sells, it is gone.
Fante Asafo Flag, Green Applique, 300 GBP. Asafo companies were the traditional warrior groups of the Fante people on the Ghanaian coast, and each company flew its own hand stitched flag, cut with figures and proverbs that told rivals exactly who they were dealing with. This one is hand appliqued on a deep green ground, 140 by 85cm. It is a piece of living textile history, and it fills a wall.
For more, the made in Ghana, made in Kenya and made in Nigeria pages let you shop by country, and the art collection runs much deeper than this list. If you are still looking for the right shop, our guide to where to buy authentic African fashion and art online compares the options honestly.
Gifting clothes without guessing the size
Two things on Sokofa take the risk out of giving clothing. Many fashion pieces offer made to measure tailoring on the product page, so the piece is cut to the wearer's own measurements. And the virtual try on shows a piece on a photo in under 25 seconds. Browse the fashion collection and look for the tailoring option on each product page.
When to order for October
Handmade pieces travel from the maker's own country, so allow more time than a warehouse order. To have a gift in hand during October, order in the last week of September or the first week of October, and earlier still for anything made to measure. Nigerian pieces are shipped through Sokofa; pieces from other countries are sent by the artisan directly. Either way, the delivery cost for your address is shown at checkout before you pay.
Frequently asked questions
When is Black History Month in the UK
Black History Month runs through October in the UK. In the United States and Canada it is held in February.
Is Sokofa a Black owned business
Yes. Sokofa is a Black owned UK marketplace founded by Tope Abuloye. It sells work by verified African artisans, mostly in Nigeria, Ghana and Kenya.
How do I know these gifts are genuinely handmade in Africa
Every seller on Sokofa passes a Verified Seller Programme before they can list. What you buy is made by the artisan or workshop named on the listing, not a reseller of mass produced goods.
Do you deliver outside the UK
Yes. Sokofa delivers worldwide. The delivery cost for your address is shown at checkout before you pay.
What if a gift arrives damaged
If a piece arrives damaged, wrong or not as described, report it within 48 hours of delivery and Sokofa will put it right.
What does the Gye Nyame symbol mean
Gye Nyame is an adinkra symbol of the Akan people of Ghana. It means "except for God" and expresses the idea that nothing is achieved by human power alone. It is the most widely used adinkra symbol in Ghana.