New exhibition explores the lost narratives of the Windrush scandal.
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This week City News visited Senate House Library, where a new exhibition investigates the history of migration to Britain during the era of decolonization.
The exhibition tells the story of migration through a variety of personal items. (Credit: Louis Rawlinson)
It includes reference to the Windrush scandal, alongside the personal stories of those it impacted. It also traces the history of Caribbean migration to Britain and accesses its legacy across generations.
The exhibition ‘In the Grip of Change’ relies upon specific items to evoke the experiences of Caribbean immigrants to the UK. It provides an opportunity to interpret the overall legacy of Windrush from a personal perspective.
A single attaché case is displayed at the beginning of the exhibition. It features along with a pork-pie hat, and together these items commemorate those who arrived in Britain aboard the HMS Windrush in 1948.
City News spoke to the exhibition’s co-curator, Dr Juanita Cox, who commented “People don’t understand where immigrants are from, why they are here, why they came here”. She emphasized the importance of representing the communities that were exploited in the name of the British empire, and those that continue to be marginalised.
Dr Cox emphasized the importance of educating the public of the history of migration, stating
“The timing of the exhibition couldn’t have been better”.
Inside the collection
The exhibition also includes items that feature the political activism of the 1960s. Civil rights activists like Billy Strachan, a former RAF pilot, and CLR James are mentioned in the collection, providing insight into the political struggle between anti-racism activists and the far right.
The exhibition covers the era of decolonization. (Credit: Louis Rawlinson)
The recorded interviews of several prominent figures are exhibited. Each tells a different story of how they had been impacted by the injustices related to the Windrush.
In recent months, public awareness has turned towards the British monarchy over their controversial legacy and ties to colonialism. Australian senator Linda Thorpe’s recent heckles at King Charles generated attention across many media networks.
In Canada, there have been calls for the Crown to apologize and publicly acknowledge the legacy of British Imperialism over its native peoples.
Communities that have been marginalised and have been stripped of their civil rights are the focus of the exhibition, but the enduring impact of British colonialism is pertinent throughout the collection.
A variety of items, ranging from newspapers; pamphlets and the spoken testimonies of those impacted by Windrush all feature.
We wanted to make people more aware of materials we had. This is what we had, please come in and explore the library further.
-Argula Rublack, Senate House Librarian
Rublack wants the exhibition to be a “springboard” for further inquiry.
‘In the Grip of Change’ was curated through the University of London and the Institute of Historical Research working in partnership, and seeks to educate its audience through inspiring people to look into the history of migration in the UK.
Dr Cox stated “It’s a very visual exhibition”. The co-curators sought to avoid presenting any “broadstrokes narratives” of the history. They aimed to allow everyone to be able to process the treatment of migrants in the UK, and present the contents of the exhibition in a way that was “very different from having to go away and read a heavy textbook”.
The exhibition provides a creative alternative to explore the legacy of migration, and is aimed at making the personal and broader legacy of Windrush more accessible. Speaking about the joint curation process, Dr Cox noted “We did come from very different perspectives, but in a way it helped”.
Senate House library, where the exhibition features until March next year, is part of the University of London. This exhibition is open to students and to engage with the history of migration.
Noah Anthony Enahoro is a journalist who has written extensively on the Windrush scandal. City News asked Enahoro what challenges a reporter might face when covering the scandal. He replied “There’s definitely a challenge when it comes to the mainstream media because in Windrush the perpetrator was the state”.
Enahoro was reassured by museums and their role in making history more representative and inclusive, despite certain challenges. He also praised their ability to educate a broad audience
Museums do a really good job at telling stuff that can be quite complicated to the normal person.
Noah Anthony Enahoro, Journalist
City News asked Enahoro whether he thought exhibitions were capable of capturing a different perspective of history when compared to other forms of media. He responded “Both the media and museums play their part” and said that they “definitely play a role in telling the rest of the story” .
Asked about whether London has a greater duty to inform the public about the Winrush scandal, Enahoro replied that cities have the duty to represent their local communities. He acknowledged that “You’re able to maximize awareness and outreach” by promoting that exhibitions take place in London.
Just over 76 years on from the Windrush scandal, new and creative ways of documenting the tragic history of migration to the UK are emerging. As exhibitions such as these bring to light the historic injustices endured by many in the UK, they also encourage us to engage with those lost perspectives and unspoken voices, reimagining future possibilities.
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Standfirst
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HeadlineSenate House: Exhibiting a painful past and present
Short HeadlineExhibitions are reshaping how we interpret the legacy of Windrush
StandfirstSenate House tells the story of Windrush according to the experiences and voices of those it impacted
This week City News visited Senate House Library, where a new exhibition investigates the history of migration to Britain during the era of decolonization.
The exhibition tells the story of migration through a variety of personal items. (Credit: Louis Rawlinson)
It includes reference to the Windrush scandal, alongside the personal stories of those it impacted. It also traces the history of Caribbean migration to Britain and accesses its legacy across generations.
The exhibition ‘In the Grip of Change’ relies upon specific items to evoke the experiences of Caribbean immigrants to the UK. It provides an opportunity to interpret the overall legacy of Windrush from a personal perspective.
A single attaché case is displayed at the beginning of the exhibition. It features along with a pork-pie hat, and together these items commemorate those who arrived in Britain aboard the HMS Windrush in 1948.
City News spoke to the exhibition’s co-curator, Dr Juanita Cox, who commented “People don’t understand where immigrants are from, why they are here, why they came here”. She emphasized the importance of representing the communities that were exploited in the name of the British empire, and those that continue to be marginalised.
Dr Cox emphasized the importance of educating the public of the history of migration, stating
“The timing of the exhibition couldn’t have been better”.
Inside the collection
The exhibition also includes items that feature the political activism of the 1960s. Civil rights activists like Billy Strachan, a former RAF pilot, and CLR James are mentioned in the collection, providing insight into the political struggle between anti-racism activists and the far right.
The exhibition covers the era of decolonization. (Credit: Louis Rawlinson)
The recorded interviews of several prominent figures are exhibited. Each tells a different story of how they had been impacted by the injustices related to the Windrush.
In recent months, public awareness has turned towards the British monarchy over their controversial legacy and ties to colonialism. Australian senator Linda Thorpe’s recent heckles at King Charles generated attention across many media networks.
In Canada, there have been calls for the Crown to apologize and publicly acknowledge the legacy of British Imperialism over its native peoples.
Communities that have been marginalised and have been stripped of their civil rights are the focus of the exhibition, but the enduring impact of British colonialism is pertinent throughout the collection.
A variety of items, ranging from newspapers; pamphlets and the spoken testimonies of those impacted by Windrush all feature.
We wanted to make people more aware of materials we had. This is what we had, please come in and explore the library further.
-Argula Rublack, Senate House Librarian
Rublack wants the exhibition to be a “springboard” for further inquiry.
‘In the Grip of Change’ was curated through the University of London and the Institute of Historical Research working in partnership, and seeks to educate its audience through inspiring people to look into the history of migration in the UK.
Dr Cox stated “It’s a very visual exhibition”. The co-curators sought to avoid presenting any “broadstrokes narratives” of the history. They aimed to allow everyone to be able to process the treatment of migrants in the UK, and present the contents of the exhibition in a way that was “very different from having to go away and read a heavy textbook”.
The exhibition provides a creative alternative to explore the legacy of migration, and is aimed at making the personal and broader legacy of Windrush more accessible. Speaking about the joint curation process, Dr Cox noted “We did come from very different perspectives, but in a way it helped”.
Senate House library, where the exhibition features until March next year, is part of the University of London. This exhibition is open to students and to engage with the history of migration.
Noah Anthony Enahoro is a journalist who has written extensively on the Windrush scandal. City News asked Enahoro what challenges a reporter might face when covering the scandal. He replied “There’s definitely a challenge when it comes to the mainstream media because in Windrush the perpetrator was the state”.
Enahoro was reassured by museums and their role in making history more representative and inclusive, despite certain challenges. He also praised their ability to educate a broad audience
Museums do a really good job at telling stuff that can be quite complicated to the normal person.
Noah Anthony Enahoro, Journalist
City News asked Enahoro whether he thought exhibitions were capable of capturing a different perspective of history when compared to other forms of media. He responded “Both the media and museums play their part” and said that they “definitely play a role in telling the rest of the story” .
Asked about whether London has a greater duty to inform the public about the Winrush scandal, Enahoro replied that cities have the duty to represent their local communities. He acknowledged that “You’re able to maximize awareness and outreach” by promoting that exhibitions take place in London.
Just over 76 years on from the Windrush scandal, new and creative ways of documenting the tragic history of migration to the UK are emerging. As exhibitions such as these bring to light the historic injustices endured by many in the UK, they also encourage us to engage with those lost perspectives and unspoken voices, reimagining future possibilities.
