Black History Month 2015 Celebrations in Cumbria
The crossing of the channel by “a Negro Woman, driv’n from France”; a young man sitting in Dove Cottage telling first hand tales of brutality on board a slave ship; a stormy walk home from a visit to the Clarksons, family friends at the forefront of the campaign to end the slave trade – a walk which culminated in one of the most famous poems in the English language: the writings of the Wordsworths are run through with references to race, ethnicity and social justice.
Together with AWAZ (Cumbria), the Wordsworth Trust is marking Black History Month with a series of events and activities across Cumbria. We hope that you will be able to join us and share in the conversation about issues as topical and urgent today as they were in the early 1800s.
Following are the details of Black History Month events in October.
Tuesday 29 September – Saturday 3 October Pop up Exhibition Black History Month at Penrith Library, Penrith, CA11 7YA, Cumbria. This exhibition showcase the diverse collections of the Wordsworth trust and Black History in Cumbria.
Friday 2 October, 2 – 3.30, Black History in Cumbria from the Wordsworths until Today at Penrith Library, CA11 7YA.
A shared talk and discussion with Aftab Khan from AWAZ (Cumbria) and Susan Allen from the Wordsworth Trust
The presence of black and minority ethnic people in Cumbria is not new. Black, Asian and other minority ethnic people have had connections with Cumbria since the 16th century, working and contributing equally to the economy, culture and heritage of Cumbria. However, there is very little information and research readily available in local libraries and record office and only few events happening in the recent past to know and address themes of slavery, displacement, diversity, racism and human rights.
In this talk on October 2, 2015 Aftab Khan, will explore the origins of Black and Minority Ethnic People in Cumbria, there current population and contribution in socio-economic, civic and cultural life of Cumbria. Susan Allen will share the insight from Wordsworth archives and the history of anti slavery campaigning in Cumbria.
Tuesday 20 October, 7 – 9.30 p.m. Campaigning Then and Now.
A round table discussion with the Wordsworth Trust and AWAZ Cumbria in the Reading Room at the Wordsworth Museum in Grasmere, LA22 9SH.
In this round table discussion Peter Foley MBE, Chair AWAZ Cumbria and one of the first black professional footballers will share his experience of living and working in rural Cumbria since 1965 along with others and the participants will explore campaigning against slavery in Cumbria during 1820s and more recently against racisim, hate crimes and xenophobia.