Mapping Black Europe

In collaboration with the Department of Arts and Cultural Studies, the Department of Sociology invites to an open online lecture with the founders of the Black European Academic Network (BEAN) discussing Black communities in Europe and their contributions to social and cultural life as well as the lacking sites of public memory.

Across Europe, Black communities are rarely honoured for their contributions to social and cultural life, which have shaped their countries. The number of sites of ‘public memory’, like monuments, statues, street names or city plaques, are limited even though they play a crucial part in social action and have the effect of social change.

Based on their forthcoming book, the BEAN founders Olive Vassell and Natasha A. Kelly alongside the Danish contributor Elizabeth Löwe Hunter will present their findings from London, Berlin and Copenhagen. Under the headline ‘Mapping Black Europe - Memories, Markers, Monuments’, the lectures will discuss the nature of public memory in each city, how the political actions of memorialising take place, and how community activism is involved.

Their overarching goal is to facilitate a conversation between academia, activists, artists and the wider public on issues of history and memory and to foster dialogue and critical understanding of the contributions of Black people to European experiences.

Sign up for the online event (free)
Download the event poster (pdf).