Selection of items from the 1960s in the Faustin Charles Archive collection including advert for a lecture by CLR James andWest Indian Student Union newsletters

Reclaiming Narratives: Finding Black History in the Archives

Join the team in Special Collections and Archives for a workshop exploring Black history in the University’s archive and book collections.

Sign up to our workshop on Wednesday 6 November 2024 – 13:00-16:00.

Location: Templeman Library, Room A108 (A Block – first floor)

In this workshop you will learn more about the University’s special collections, and have the opportunity to view some of the archive collections that highlight aspects of Black history. Workshop participants will learn archive research techniques, and be able to participate in our ongoing work to reveal and showcase the stories and experiences of people of colour that feature in our archive collections.

Through the workshop, participants will consider the challenges of trying to uncover hidden stories in the archives, touching on issues such as changes in terminology and the use of outdated language, and the lack of detailed cataloguing providing barriers to successful research.

Faustin Charles reading poetry in 1970s

Faustin Charles reading poetry in 1970s (Reference: UKA/ALU/CHARLESF/7/9)

Participants will be invited to spend time exploring archive catalogues to locate items of interest in the study of Black history, surfacing evidence of the activities and experiences of people of colour held within the archives. Your discoveries will be added to our list of sources supporting the study of Black history in the archive collections.

There will also be some free pizza at the end of the workshop as a thank you for your hard work!

To book a place on the workshop please contact Special Collections and Archives: specialcollections@kent.ac.uk