In the autumn of 1998, as most black communities across the country were celebrating the 50th Anniversary of The Empire Windrush, the Wolverhampton African-Caribbean Achievers Award ceremony was held. The event acknowledged the significant economic, social and political contributions made by individuals within the African-Caribbean communities from the 1950's onwards.

BE-ME (Black & Ethnic Minority Experience) is a unique research and curriculum project. The project was established in 1999 when BE-ME set out to unearth the hidden stories of Wolverhampton's black heritage and to preserve these stories by digitally recording the testimonies of individuals from these communities. Over 100 in-depth interviews were carried out. The original video and audio tapes are now safely preserved in Wolverhampton City Council's Archive.

Recognising that a traditional Western curriculum historically has overlooked the experiences of non-white communities, often to the detriment of individuals within these communities, BE-ME aims to utilise its resources for educational purposes. Grants from the New Opportunities Fund and the Heritage Lottery Fund have supported the development of learning materials based on the archive. Designed in collaboration with local education practitioners and students, these packages have brought the experiences of BE-ME respondents to the classroom. Students from the University are also using BE-ME materials to assist them with their studies and to broaden their understanding on issues of cultural diversity.

In Autumn 2003, Steering Group members agreed on a new constitution and elected a Management Committee to oversee the proceedings of the new BE-ME Foundation until a Board of Directors could be elected at the first Annual General Meeting scheduled for December 2004. At an update meeting held at Light House Media Centre on 22 October 2003, the Management Committee called for new members to support the Foundation’s agreed objective ‘to capture and preserve the experiences of Black and other ethnic minorities in order to utilise these materials for educational purposes.’

The Foundation also listed its agreed goals:

· Raising Attainment
· Community Empowerment
· Projecting Positive Identity
· Promoting Active Citizenship
· Skills Development
· Spreading Good Practice

In December 2004, the first BE-ME Foundation Board of Directors came into existence following nominations and a vote among BE-ME Foundation members. As per the constitution, the Board meets every six weeks and convenes members at least two times per annum.