What does British heritage mean today and how is it signalled in public space? If you walk through the streets of central London, it won’t be long before you catch sight of a Blue Plaque on the outside of a building.
There are thousands of them dotted around the city today, commemorating famous people and the buildings with which they had an association.
Over the century and a half since the scheme started, however, the idea of ‘heritage’ that these plaques tend to represent has changed significantly – and this change is reflected in the growing numbers of plaques put up to celebrate the contribution of previously under-recognised sections of society.
The film explores how minoritised groups, in this case Black people, can use a classic symbol of ‘heritage’ like the Blue Plaques to counter their under-representation in the public space and imagination.
- Featuring the work of Black History Walks, the Nubian Jak Community Trust, and English Heritage, and narrated by Karen Arthur. With thanks to the BAAL Applying Linguistics fund for support for the project.
- Written, produced and directed by: Lab Ky Mo, Philip Seargeant, Korina Giaxoglou and Frank Monaghan
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and don't get me wrong I think the walk-talks are great) the three lions of England were adopted by Henry II in 1150 representing the three Kingdoms, England, France and his wife's Aquitaine. Lions appear in the Bible as a symbol of strength, they are also found outside Africa, so posibly the African connection is a bit tenuous. I would also like to offer a suggestion: the achievements listed on the plaques are very basic. Could a QR code be also displayed giving more information exactly why that poet/playright/activist is celebrated, apart from being black?