Did you know that Half of Britons can’t name a Black British historical figure? According to a recent survey commissioned by Bloomsbury Publishing (UK), 75% of British adults acknowledged that they did not know “very much” or “anything at all” about the subject, more than half (53%) could not recall any Black British historical figures and Most people also underestimated the scale of Britain’s involvement in the transatlantic slave trade. With Black History Month coming to an end, we share some ideas of how to continue learning, supporting, and advocating after the month of October.
THE MISSING THREAD
UNTOLD STORIES OF BLACK BRITISH FASHION
Running until January 7th, 2024, this exhibition at Somerset House and curated by the Black Orientated Legacy Development Agency (BOLD), explores the untold stories of Black British fashion. Spanning from the 1970s to the present day, The Missing Thread charts the shifting landscape of Black British culture and the unique contribution it has made to Britain’s rich design history.
75 Wandsworth Road
THE HOME AND LEGACY OF KHADAMBI ASALACHE.
Born in Kenya in 1935, Khadambi Asalache an artist, poet and British civil servant who spent almost 2 decades transforming his Wandsworth home with intricate fretwork. Today, his home has become a source of inspiration for collaborators and creatives of all ages, forging social connections within its community and beyond. 575 Wandsworth Road is currently closed for essential conservation work but reopens in Spring next year.
The Time is Always Now
ARTISTS REFRAME THE BLACK FIGURE
An exhibition examining f the Black figure – and its representation in contemporary art – will be on at the National Portrait Gallery from 22 February – 19 May 2024
The exhibition, curated by Ekow Eshun (former Director of the Institute of Contemporary Arts) showcases the work of contemporary artists from the African diaspora, including Michael Armitage, Lubaina Himid, Kerry James Marshall, Toyin Ojih Odutola and Amy Sherald, and highlights the use of figures to illuminate the richness and complexity of Black life. As well as surveying the presence of the Black figure in Western art history, they examine its absence – and the story of representation told through these works, as well as the social, psychological and cultural contexts in which they were produced.
The future of Black British History
Which Black British figures would you like to see on a postage stamp?
An all-star panel of writers, actors, MPs and other public figures have nominated one black British person whose face they would like to put on a new British postage stamp. Now The Guardian is asking you to nominate one black British person from any time in history to appear on a new postage stamp
After October comes to a close, the instruction about the contributions of Black people to British history, society and culture tend to fall off. But there are resources available to learn from our shared history and to better defined what we take forward into our shared future. What are your go to resources? What would you like to see more of?
