Black British History
Black British History
Black British History
Black British History
Black British History
Black British History
Black British History
Black British History
Black British History
Black British History
Black British History
Black British History
Black British History
Black British History
Black British History
Black British History
Black British History

© the copyright holders. Image credit: Tony Bennett / Art UK

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The multi-layered sculpture depicts historical figures from Roman and Tudor times through to the twentieth century. It is split by ship masts to represent communities of Black sailors who settled in port cities such as Liverpool, Bristol and London. Other figures include a bus conductor, celebrating Black people who worked on public transport after the Second World War and a nurse figure to recognise the contribution of Black NHS workers. A figure of a boy in school uniform also sits on the sign of a road visited by Malcolm X during a tour of Smethwick in 1965.
Title

Black British History

Date

2023

Medium

galvanised steel

Accession number

B18_AEB_S001

Acquisition method

commissioned by Legacy West Midlands with funding from Arts Council England, Birmingham City Council, Historic England, the Saintbury Trust and the Active Well-Being Society

Work type

Monument

Work status

extant

Unveiling date

13th May 2023

Access

at all times

Inscription description

panel 1: During WW1 & WW2 / tens of thousands of / Commonwealth \ Black / Servicemen, women and / civilians fought and / worked to aid in allied / victory. / In the Victorian period / Black women like Mary / Price & Mary Seacole / fought for the rights of / all & helped to / transform the health / service.; panel 2: In the 1700’s Black men / like Olaudah Equiano & / Ignatius Sancho / campaigned for Abolition / & Equal Rights to / transform the British / political system / Trade and talent in Tudor / times brought people / such as John Blanke / (trumpeter to Henry VIII) / to England, free people / whose contributions / were valued at the / highest levels. / In 253 AD hundreds of years before the Norman / Conquest the Aurelian Moors Regiment of the / Roman Legion became the / first Black Community to be / settled in Britain

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Located at

Canal Old Line, Winson Green, Birmingham

B18 7EP