Event report: Diverse-city and the Great War

On 5 September, Voices of War and Peace held an event at the Library of Birmingham titled ‘Diverse-city and the Great War’, in which several groups who had been funded by the HLF’s First World War: then & now programme presented their work on histories of the First World War. The majority of these projects were regional BME-focused efforts, and the event successfully brought together groups from around the UK.

One central strand of the Minding Black Histories project is to connect with other groups whose work may overlap with our aims – Diverse-city is instrumental to achieving that aim. The events I attended in July had a strong focus on colonial contributions to the war, whereas this event was more focused on regional histories within the UK. The regional diversity (as well as racial diversity and diversity of abilities) of the projects presented was particularly striking, and emphasised that unique stories of the First World War can be told throughout the UK, as well as across the former empire.

As one of the participants at this event, and thinking about where Minding Black Histories fits into a national story, I particularly enjoyed seeing Liverpool-based Writing on the Wall’s From Great War to Race Riots installation work, covering 3D letters with copies of contemporary letters, letting the handwriting and words be visible to visitors to the piece. Disability History Scotland shared a fantastic and moving video ‘One Last Push‘ on the rise of disability activism that directly resulted from WW1 veterans who returned from war with injury.

The Minding Black Histories Community Development Day, which we see as an extended conversation about public engagement and impact of work which recognises black experiences of the First World War, will take place at BCU Parkside on 30 September, 10am-4pm. All places have been taken, but a summary report will appear here in due course!

Dr Charlotte Stevens
Research Assistant
Birmingham Centre for Media and Cultural Research
Birmingham City University