The Communities of Liberation exhibition is based on the research and creative work of six local residents who have used archive collections to tell stories of the lives of Africans who lived in the East End between 1567 and 1802.
A new public exhibition which brings to light Black experiences in Tower Hamlets during the transatlantic Slave Trade, has been launched at Tower Hamlets town hall, Whitechapel.
The Communities of Liberation exhibition is based on the research and creative work of six local residents who have used archive collections to tell stories of the lives of Africans who lived in the East End between 1567 and 1802.
The exhibition launch on Saturday 1 March, included an African blessing and libation ceremony.
Cllr Kamrul Hussain, Cabinet Member for Culture and Recreation, said: “Tower Hamlets is proud of its rich history. It has been a place of refuge for centuries for people who have settled here and worked and lived together, making a new life for themselves and their families.
“Until now there has been no public recognition that so many people from Africa and the Caribbean lived and survived here, in what is now Tower Hamlets, from the mid-1500s – during the Transatlantic Slave Trade.
“This milestone exhibition changes the narrative. It is a big step on the way to our vision – to create an outdoor public memorial to honour the lives of these individuals.”
Communities of Liberation is being funded by Historic England’s Everyday Heritage grant programme, celebrating working class histories.
The exhibition features artwork, poetry, podcasts, and creative writing, as well as the archival sources which inspired the co-producers. It tells previously untold stories of Black lives 300 years ago in London’s East End.
Stories include those of:
Sean Curran, Head of Inclusive Heritage at Historic England, said: “Communities of Liberation demonstrates the power that engaging with heritage can have. Through uncovering and revealing overlooked stories, contemporary community voices are amplified and the lives of those who are often forgotten are remembered.
“Heritage is also an important vehicle for young people to learn new skills, build pride in the places they live, and to connect them to people from the past. The responses of the young co-producers to the fragments of archival material about the Africans who lived in the East End hundreds of years ago are moving and vital.
“We are delighted to have funded this important exhibition as part of our Everyday Heritage Grants programme.”
When it has finished at the Town Hall, the exhibition will tour other Tower Hamlets venues throughout 2025, as Tower Hamlets Council carries out a public consultation on the design and location of a physical memorial, due to be installed in 2026.
Communities of Liberation exhibition opening times:
1-29 March 2025
Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, 9am-6.30pm
Thursdays, late opening until 8pm.
Tower Hamlets Town Hall, 160 Whitechapel Road, London E1 1BJ
Posted on Monday 10th March 2025