Sandra Shakespeare
Founder of Black British Museum Project
Photography by Edvinas Bruzas
2020 has been the year of unexpected and unprecedented change, with Covid-19 transforming societies and routines around the world. But it’s also been a year for holding space and having difficult conversations, following the international Black Lives Matter protests, rolled out in response to George Floyd’s death. Recognising the emergence of an era for truth and accountability, sparked by the outrage over the treatment of Black lives, Sandra Shakespeare – a museum and heritage consultant with a background in media – realised the need to establish a Black Museum of History and Culture and is committed to bringing this idea to life.
The idea for the Black British Museum was born out of a panel discussion held in November 2019 at conference. How did it develop from there?
‘A Black British Museum: Is this the future?’ panel was a discussion held between Black museum professionals – Janet Browne (V&A Museum), Dr Errol Francis (Culture & New Museum School) and Arike Oke (Black Cultural Archives, BCA) - about imagining a Black British museum. The session was positively received, so I began exploring how to develop the concept. We drew reference from co-founder of Black Cultural Archives, the late Len Garrison’s 1981 poem: ‘Where are Our Heroes, Martyrs and Monuments?’ Garrison touched on the importance of commemorating the contributions of Africans in the making of Britain.
I am responsible for driving the museum’s direction and enlisting specialist support. I have Tola Dabiri and Alice Grahame supporting aspects of the project with me.
How has your experience as a museum and heritage consultant lent itself to the project?
My love for museums dates back to childhood and the joy of experiencing rare exhibitions like ‘West Indian Front Room’ with my parents. After delivering the ‘Caribbean Through a Lens’ programme at The National Archives, I realised the dearth of Black history and culture in our museums, and this is problematic.
In 2014, I became one of the founding members of Museum Detox, a network for Black and Asian workers, responding to this lack of representation, by championing the cultural, intellectual and creative contributions of people of colour.
Tell me how you envision the Black British Museum getting started.
The project will develop a campaign programme for consultation. It’s about getting the right message across, to design a meaningful programme of online activity and (depending on Covid restrictions), experiment with a physical Black museum prototype.
Considering the changes brought on by the pandemic, how relevant do you think museum culture is to our society and world today?
Cultural institutions in the UK are trying to do better in the age of Covid-19 and address some of the ongoing and fundamental challenges in our society, such as systemic oppression. Museums are incubators of memory; we’re consciously considering what the message for the Black British Museum should be. We want to avoid polarising concerns and offer a hopeful narrative around the story of Black Britain.
Do you think people are ready to see the truth of the historical research around racial inequality when there’s still so much to improve?
With every crisis comes opportunity. The legacy of our imperialist past was called into question with the recent Black Lives Matter demonstrations. Museums struggle with presenting the truth from both sides in the context of Black history. This results in Black experience remaining invisible or considered too difficult to deal with. Historically, museums weren’t designed to commemorate Black historical achievements or contributions; stories have been told from a colonial perspective, so we need to dismantle this oppressive patriarchal structure around Blackness – something we intend to do with great care.
How do you hope people will respond to the launch of the British Black history museum?
I want the Black British Museum of History and Culture to provide hope for our future; for young people to understand what role they play in the making of Great Britain. This is a museum that wants to present the global diverse story of Black Britain; to bring people together and showcase a balanced history of Britain. One where we cry and smile and remember together.
Interview by Olivia Atkins
