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A century of black British history

A century of black British history

Article written by

Pawlet Brookes, Serendipity CEO and Artistic Director
American GIs
Pawlet Brookes chooses her favourite songs and stories from the exhibition Archiving the Past: Reflecting the Future.

Page last updated: 6 July 2022

Archiving the Past, Reflecting the Future is a National Lottery Heritage Fund-supported initiative that seeks to redress the balance in the way that black British history is documented and shared.

It fills in the gaps where voices from the African and African Caribbean diaspora have been lost or forgotten, giving a unique black British perspective.

For Black History Month 2019, Archiving the Past, Reflecting the Future takes the form of an exhibition at the Vijay Patel Atrium, De Montfort University in Leicester.

Covering the last 110 years, each photograph in the exhibition has a QR code linking to more information online. We also commissioned a documentary short A very Brit(ish) Voice by film-maker Jaha Browne that captures the legacy of the African-Caribbean community in Leicester.

This is my playlist inspired by the exhibition:

And here are some of my favourite photos:

Evelyn Dove
Evelyn Dove, 1920s A black British music hall star of the 1920s, Evelyn Dove was considered to be one of the best contraltos in the country. Performing across the UK, including the Royal Opera House on Silver Street Leicester, she symbolised a black British impression on the “roaring twenties”. Credit: The Stephen Bourne Collection/Mary Evans Picture Library.
Evelyn Dove
Larry Gains, 1930s Larry Gains was a Canadian heavyweight champion boxer who found himself living and training in Leicester. He was a much-loved role model and called himself a “Shireman” in respect of his adopted home town. Earlier this year we hosted a touring exhibition about Larry Gains. It was wonderful to see people respond: elders who remembered him fondly and young people hearing his story for the first time.
Evelyn Dove
American GIs, 1940s When the US entered the Second World War, troops were based across the East Midlands. Segregation resulted in black troops arriving in Leicester first, and being welcomed in the city. This image shows African-American GIs and members of the public enjoying a baseball game together in Abbey Park.
Evelyn Dove
Eric Irons, 1950s Eric Irons was Britain’s first black magistrate. He also worked to ease tensions and promote community cohesion after the Nottingham riots in 1958. Born in Jamaica, he joined the RAF during the Second World War and then settled in Nottingham. The National Justice Museum has also just honoured him with a plaque to recognise his contribution.
Evelyn Dove
Sarah Vaughan, 1960s For me, Sarah Vaughan is one of the greatest jazz artists of the 20th century, but possibly one of the less well known. She performed at De Montfort Hall in the 1960s alongside Ella Fitzgerald, John Coltrane, Louis Armstrong and many others. It was a revelation to find out that the East Midlands was really pioneering in coordinating UK tours that unified the community with respect for their talent.