Photography exhibition celebrates untold stories from Black British Culture
Islington is celebrating this year’s Black History Month by hosting a special photography exhibition by acclaimed photographer Neil Kenlock.
Central Library will be only the second venue to host Expectations: The Untold Story of Black British Community Leaders in the 1960s and 1970s.
The exhibition raises awareness of untold stories from Black British culture, as well as give access to younger generations and spark discussion. It includes photography from the personal archives of Kenlock, once the official photographer of the British Black Panthers and founder of Choice FM – Britain’s first licensed 24-hour black music radio station. Kenlock was also the official photographer for the West Indian World Newspaper which in the 1970s was based in Islington.
Funded by a National Lottery grant from the Heritage Lottery Fund, the exhibition has been curated by Kenlock and his daughter Emelia.
70 years on from the arrival of the Empire Windrush into Great Britain, the ‘Expectations’ exhibition is a celebration of British Black community leaders - many of whom come from the Windrush generation. Visitors will see rare prints of key figures within the community including prominent activist and anti-discrimination, women’s and squatter’s rights campaigner Olive Morris. The exhibition also features a one of a kind print capturing a historic meeting between the community pioneer Courtney Laws and the Home Secretary of the time, Lord Jenkins.
Neil Kenlock said “Many young Black people from our community only engage with heritage when they visit museums during their educational studies. This project aims to give access to examples of Black leadership, as well as archive material outside of the normal educational environment.
“Over fifty years since the concept of ‘Black excellence’ first manifested and 70 years on from the Windrush, I truly hope the exhibition will add to the national cultural narrative and resonate with new audiences. I would like to thank Islington Council and the Heritage Lottery Fund for their support in the realising of this vision.”
The free exhibition will run from Tuesday 30 October to Sunday 25 November at Islington’s Central Library, N5 1PF.
There is also an opportunity to meet Photographer Neil Kenlock at a Q&A session on Thursday 8 November. Entrance is free but seats are limited.
Cllr Kaya Comer-Schwartz, Islington Council’s executive member for community development, said:
“Black History Month is an important opportunity to pause and reflect on Black experiences and culture in Britain and the world. It’s a moment for us to look back, celebrate how much BAMER communities have contributed and see how far we have come in the fight for equality, where we are now, and the changes we must still fight to achieve.
“Expectations is a fabulous exhibition that honours the leaders of our Black community from a photographer who was both witness to, and participant in, some of the most formative moments of modern Black British history.
“I encourage all residents to head down to Central Library and catch this fabulous exhibition while you can!”
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