A significant number of people in the UK think the British Museum ought to have a permanent exhibition focused on the transatlantic slave trade, according to recent research. The YouGov survey, commissioned by the Good Law Project and the World Reimagined and initially reported by The Guardian, indicates that 53% of participants believe a permanent exhibit about Britain’s participation in the enslavement of African people would be fitting at the British Museum. Moreover, approximately two-thirds of those polled concur that the British Museum bears the responsibility to educate the public about the UK’s part in the slave trade.
When queried about the necessity of public education on the history of the British Empire for comprehending today’s multicultural society, 72% of respondents agreed. The survey also mirrors increasing backing for efforts aimed at confronting the legacies of slavery, such as The World Reimagined, an art education initiative famous for its globe sculptures crafted by artists like Yinka Shonibare, which have been showcased in various UK cities. They contend that the museum’s ongoing “Masterplan” renovation, described by new director Nicholas Cullinan as “a comprehensive transformation, top to bottom, inside out, buildings, collection, visual identity,” should incorporate a permanent exhibit emphasizing Britain’s role in the transatlantic slave trade.
The organizations dispatched an open letter to Cullinan on Thursday (21 November). “We all acknowledge that the British Museum is a potent cultural institution, disseminating narratives, cultures, and histories to a worldwide audience. Quite appropriately, the British Museum endeavors to document Britain’s role in the world, bridging the gap between the past, present, and future,” the letter states, “Nevertheless, in all of that, there is no exhibition on the transatlantic trade in enslaved African people.” “The Museum must recognize Britain’s role in the trade in enslaved African people to serve the British public, who merit understanding their own history,” the letter continues.
A second open letter was forwarded to UK Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, urging her to “set the priorities for the Museum”, noting that the museum’s renovation is “a crucial opportunity for ensuring that a confident 21st-century Britain can be candid about what is still recent history, a shared history that has profoundly shaped Britain and the lives of millions of people here and across the globe.” This summer, 'The Wake' by Khaleb Brooks was unveiled as the British capital’s inaugural memorial to the victims of transatlantic slavery. Designed to reflect on London’s role in slavery and how it molded the British capital, the memorial artwork will be situated in West India Quay in London’s Docklands, near warehouses constructed to store goods produced through slavery.
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