This session was also inspired by the Autograph Gallery resource Exhibition in a Box: The Missing chapter. This resource includes many images of people from various parts of the British Empire who were either visiting Britain or resided here. The images challenge the general assumption of black histories in Britain as they showcase people from a variety of social positions, from Kings to choir members. The images date back to before the Windrush generation of the second half of the twentieth century dispelling the myth that people of BAME heritage arrived in Britain after the Second World War. The archive highlights that lack of general knowledge around black histories in Britain, but also highlights the gap in our knowledge because of the lack of archives highlighting these people and their history. This resource makes you question how archives are created and who oversees decides whose voices should be included? Archives shape a national histories and therefore our national identity, and are therefore when voices are erased the national history becomes skewed. The prompt for this session was to capture the multiple histories of Peckham by having a shared conversation between the students and residents of Peckham to add to the Hairytage archive.
In this work shop Yr. 8 students researched and reimagined the histories of the people in the images. Reinventing the archive bringing it to life through reinventing the people in the images, providing alternative stories, imagining thoughts, feelings and possible futures.
In this work shop Yr. 8 students researched and reimagined the histories of the people in the images. Reinventing the archive bringing it to life through reinventing the people in the images, providing alternative stories, imagining thoughts, feelings and possible futures.
Further Community and History Explorations