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"Nobody Benefits From Hidden History – That's The Beauty Of The Black Cultural Archives."

We spoke to Paul Reid, artistic director of the Black Cultural Archives about why celebrating the rich heritage of black British people is so important. Though the project started in 1981, it's building only opened its doors last Thursday. The first exhibition is called Re-imagine: Black Women In Britain and it celebrates the achievements and struggles of the she-roes (as Paul affectionately calls them) of British history.

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Black Ballad: Why is the Black Cultural Archives so special to you?

Paul Reid: When I was a young 18-year-old, with an interest in black history, I used to go to the Black Cultural Archives. Luckily, the BCA was located in Brixton, which was where I used to live and where my family is based, so this project is personal.

BB: Do you think that your negative or incomplete History lessons also drew you to the Black Cultural Archives?

PR: Absolutely. Growing up in British society, especially if you’re not white, you are left with very subtle messages that start getting bigger and bigger as you go.  For example, if we think about what we understand History to be, we don’t really think about black people. And when we think about black History, we always look overseas: Africa, the Caribbean, America – that’s where we go for these big Martin Luther King stories. So there’s a huge amount of work that needs to take place in terms of valuing our experiences in this country, and recognising their heritage and place in our history.

The average person in the street can’t talk about black people during Georgian times, Victorian times or Tudor times; most people will have no idea that black people have always been in Britain.

BB: Why do you think the slave trade and colonialism are at the forefront in black British history?

PR: I think it’s absolutely crucial that we study the enslavement of African people and the ramifications and implications of that because it permeates into us today. It was the basis of how Western civilisation became so powerful. You wouldn't have Liverpool, Bristol, London and all these cities if it wasn’t for the blood, sweat, tears and lives of African people.

When people go into formal education and study history, the subject isn’t called truth and the study isn’t called perspective.  It’s just called History. In other words, if we break it down, his-story, not necessarily our story. That is what we study. It’s reflective of where we live and the power relationship that black people have in this country.

I’m not trying to say in any way, let us belittle, challenge or reduce the history as it’s presented. All I am saying is there needs to be a massive focus and attention on contributions of people of African origin in Britain.  We have been here for as early as there have been lives in Britain. We are part and parcel of the fabric and we have been very much omitted and marginalised in our understanding of history.