Jahnavi Inniss

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Black British History Quilt

Project Context

History

The lack of representation and visibility of Black British history in educational curricula and mainstream history discourse ‘reinforces a sense of unworthiness’, (hooks, 1998) whilst facilitating the sensation of 

DOUBLE-CONSCIOUSNESS - ‘LOOKING AT ONESELF THROUGH THE EYES OF OTHERS… MEASURING ONE’S SOUL BY THE TAPE OF A WORLD THAT LOOKS ON IN AMUSED CONTEMPT AND PITY’.

(DU BOIS, 1990)

It for this exact reason the act of self-documentation is a vital tool for ‘cultural recovery’ (hooks, 1998). Creating our own platforms of visibility acts as an ‘immediate intervention’ by which Black Brits are afforded the power to produce ‘counter-hegemonic representations’ (hooks, 1998) that have the ability to empower and redefine our identities.