We are Bristol: Reparative justice through collaborative research
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Bristol
Department Name: School of Humanities
Abstract
The legacy of the slave trade in Bristol leaves many unresolved questions. Following the police killing of George Floyd in the USA, the subsequent global Black Lives Matter (BLM) protests directed attention to statues commemorating white supremacists, slave traders and other colonial figures around the world. BLM protesters in Bristol toppled the statue of slave trader Edward Colston, which had long been at the centre of fierce debates around the city's history and memory of slavery. These events prompted institutions across the country to examine the symbolism of their public spaces.
Racial inequalities in Bristol are well documented; a Runnymede Trust Report in 2017 found that for Black people Bristol has the 3rd highest level of educational inequality in England and Wales. To tackle inequalities, Mayor Marvin Rees launched a 'One City Approach', inviting public, private, voluntary and third sector partners to make Bristol a fair, healthy and sustainable city. A Legacy Steering Group and a History Commission were established to help position current debates into wider perspectives about Bristol's past and present. In parallel, many grassroot initiatives and reparative projects emerged, such as CARGO (Charting African Resilience Growing Opportunities), The Seven Saints of St. Pauls, and a Bristol African Caribbean Cultural Space.
This research will complement and contribute to these initiatives through the methodologies of citizen science. A cross-disciplinary group of researchers, citizen scientists and non-academic organisations will have the unprecedented chance to co-investigate both macro- and micro-level local histories of Bristol, take action on a range of contemporary injustices, from direct legacies of slavery and racism to wider issues of key concern, and explore ways to repair contemporary legacies of this history. This research will be supported by the Mayoral Commission for Racial Equality (CORE), an umbrella organisation that works with hundreds of organisations across the city. The project collaborators will also tackle the issues of capacity building, leadership and empowerment through this city-wide dialogue.
There are four work packages:
1. Bristol, Capital, and Enslavement: The aim of WP1 is to co-produce with citizen researchers new knowledge about how slave derived wealth, through the 1834 compensation awards, has shaped Bristol's built environment, business and charity. It will connect the stories of the enslaved to the sites in Bristol by using the Slave Registers to identify the enslaved people claimed by Bristol residents.
2. Creative digital memorialisation: bodies in movement and augmented reality: Working with citizens, artists and dance groups, WP2 will identify new and alternative sites of memory in Bristol's cityscape which connect to the histories and legacies of transatlantic enslavement through the knowledge and experiences of Bristolians, using creative practice-led methodologies.
3. Campaign training and We Are Bristol exhibit: Based on the Six Elements of Social Justice Education, the aim of WP3 is to introduce secondary-school students from diverse communities to issues of race equality both past and present, and train them to identify and campaign on contemporary social justice issues that matter to their communities. This work will result in an exhibition and a curriculum pack for teachers and students and will contribute to the global Facing History and Ourselves curriculum resource.
4. Transformative inclusive pedagogy: Inequalities and racism experienced by people of colour in the education sector are inextricably linked to slavery and its legacy. The aim of WP4 is to work with teachers as citizen scientists to develop ways of understanding and teaching of the different aspects of that legacy, equipping them to be agents for change and enhance their own and other educators' ability to address inequalities.
Racial inequalities in Bristol are well documented; a Runnymede Trust Report in 2017 found that for Black people Bristol has the 3rd highest level of educational inequality in England and Wales. To tackle inequalities, Mayor Marvin Rees launched a 'One City Approach', inviting public, private, voluntary and third sector partners to make Bristol a fair, healthy and sustainable city. A Legacy Steering Group and a History Commission were established to help position current debates into wider perspectives about Bristol's past and present. In parallel, many grassroot initiatives and reparative projects emerged, such as CARGO (Charting African Resilience Growing Opportunities), The Seven Saints of St. Pauls, and a Bristol African Caribbean Cultural Space.
This research will complement and contribute to these initiatives through the methodologies of citizen science. A cross-disciplinary group of researchers, citizen scientists and non-academic organisations will have the unprecedented chance to co-investigate both macro- and micro-level local histories of Bristol, take action on a range of contemporary injustices, from direct legacies of slavery and racism to wider issues of key concern, and explore ways to repair contemporary legacies of this history. This research will be supported by the Mayoral Commission for Racial Equality (CORE), an umbrella organisation that works with hundreds of organisations across the city. The project collaborators will also tackle the issues of capacity building, leadership and empowerment through this city-wide dialogue.
There are four work packages:
1. Bristol, Capital, and Enslavement: The aim of WP1 is to co-produce with citizen researchers new knowledge about how slave derived wealth, through the 1834 compensation awards, has shaped Bristol's built environment, business and charity. It will connect the stories of the enslaved to the sites in Bristol by using the Slave Registers to identify the enslaved people claimed by Bristol residents.
2. Creative digital memorialisation: bodies in movement and augmented reality: Working with citizens, artists and dance groups, WP2 will identify new and alternative sites of memory in Bristol's cityscape which connect to the histories and legacies of transatlantic enslavement through the knowledge and experiences of Bristolians, using creative practice-led methodologies.
3. Campaign training and We Are Bristol exhibit: Based on the Six Elements of Social Justice Education, the aim of WP3 is to introduce secondary-school students from diverse communities to issues of race equality both past and present, and train them to identify and campaign on contemporary social justice issues that matter to their communities. This work will result in an exhibition and a curriculum pack for teachers and students and will contribute to the global Facing History and Ourselves curriculum resource.
4. Transformative inclusive pedagogy: Inequalities and racism experienced by people of colour in the education sector are inextricably linked to slavery and its legacy. The aim of WP4 is to work with teachers as citizen scientists to develop ways of understanding and teaching of the different aspects of that legacy, equipping them to be agents for change and enhance their own and other educators' ability to address inequalities.
Technical Summary
The project addresses a suite of societal issues which have arisen from the impact and legacies of the transatlantic slave trade in Bristol and ongoing post-slavery racism. These include questions around memorialisation and history in the city; ongoing inequities in educational attainment; access to public space and infrastructures; and the ability to participate in the city's civic life. They have been identified by our non-academic collaborators, as part of wider, urgent and ongoing conversations across the city. They were also identified in previous research by University of Bristol academics (Otele, Moody, Burch-Brown and others).
Involving citizen scientists in this research is paramount. Material relating to the transatlantic slave trade and enslavement is valued, interpreted and has diverse meanings for different communities, e.g. descendants of enslaved people, or those who have benefitted from the slave trade. Citizen science methodology allows diverse voices to shape how this challenging history is addressed. These processes of remembering, forgetting and re-shaping history are part of cultural and collective memory processes. Involving citizens is essential to understanding the personal connections to these issues. The project team has strong links with community, grassroots and umbrella organisations who have already expressed an interest in being involved.
The project will benefit citizens in multiple ways, for example by sharing knowledge; accessing archival material; and developing research, communication and creative skills and personal networks. This will enhance their chances to collaborate on, or lead, future projects. At the heart of this lies the question of agency of minority and marginalised groups and the ability to shape the debate about reparative justice, participate in civic life and influence policy. This project offers citizens the opportunity to shape their own and their city's history.
Involving citizen scientists in this research is paramount. Material relating to the transatlantic slave trade and enslavement is valued, interpreted and has diverse meanings for different communities, e.g. descendants of enslaved people, or those who have benefitted from the slave trade. Citizen science methodology allows diverse voices to shape how this challenging history is addressed. These processes of remembering, forgetting and re-shaping history are part of cultural and collective memory processes. Involving citizens is essential to understanding the personal connections to these issues. The project team has strong links with community, grassroots and umbrella organisations who have already expressed an interest in being involved.
The project will benefit citizens in multiple ways, for example by sharing knowledge; accessing archival material; and developing research, communication and creative skills and personal networks. This will enhance their chances to collaborate on, or lead, future projects. At the heart of this lies the question of agency of minority and marginalised groups and the ability to shape the debate about reparative justice, participate in civic life and influence policy. This project offers citizens the opportunity to shape their own and their city's history.
Publications
Stephenson, B
(2021)
Undertaking reviews of monuments and street names: Processes to guide public bodies
Stephenson, B
(2021)
Reviewing contested statues, memorials and place names: guidance for public bodies
Cole, T
(2022)
The Colston Statue: What Next? - Long Report.
Burch-Brown, J
(2022)
The Colston Statue: What Next? - Short Report.
Title | Bridging Histories online galleries |
Description | Creation of a Bridging Histories website and "What you have shared gallery" with many creative outputs (poetry, artworks, oral history recordings, songs, street history, changemaking testimonial videos etc). Contributors are invited upload their artistic creation via the portal and these are then shared on the website |
Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Impact | Resources and information easily accessible and frequently updated. |
URL | https://bridginghistories.com/what-you-have-shared |
Title | Memorial Folk Dance |
Description | CL run the Memorial Folk Dance: A brand new memorial dance for Bristol which commemorates the Transatlantic Traffick in Enslaved Africans created through 7 public workshops as part of the Decolonising Memory project. The dance is a performative memorial to transatlantic enslavement which honours enslaved African people, their strength and resilience and is an act of healing. Tutorials have been held to disseminate the dance and a video tutorial has also been created |
Type Of Art | Performance (Music, Dance, Drama, etc) |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Impact | The YouTube video was posted 6 months ago and to date has over 100 views. |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mRU7pC-ygLI |
Description | People in Bristol want to further engage in exploring there histories in a variety of ways. |
Exploitation Route | Some of the outcomes have been taken forward see URL |
Sectors | Education,Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
URL | https://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2022/february/colston-report.html |
Description | Events related to the falling of Colston statue and the City Council and the Mayor's decision to address issues related to identity and a sense of belonging in Bristol have resulted in project co-investigators and citizens science engaging more with those questions. |
First Year Of Impact | 2021 |
Sector | Culture, Heritage, Museums and Collections |
Impact Types | Cultural,Societal |
Description | Guidance for Public Bodies |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Impact | The sensitive memorialisation of history means that some members of the populations feel excluded or not valued in the place they live or work due to the glorification of individuals who are linked with persecutions or death of their ancestors. In the cases above names like Colston, Fry, Wills are inextricably linked with enslavements as well as philanthropy. Howe their legacy is interpreted today requires dialogues and meaningful consultations. The guidance offers approaches to this. In the case of the relocation of the statue in the Bristol museum, this was done after consultation. Nearly 14,000 people responded to the public survey. Four out of five people from Bristol said that the statue should go on display in a Bristol museum. In April 2022, the Cabinet approved this decision. With regards the university of Bristol, a series of consultations have been organised, this is still underway. So far, over 4000 people have responded to the consultation on renaming of buildings with names of people associated to enslavement of Africans. |
URL | https://thetab.com/uk/bristol/2023/01/23/3500-respond-to-bristol-uni-consultation-on-renaming-buildi... |
Description | Commercialisation Development Fund |
Amount | £20,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of Bristol |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2023 |
End | 07/2023 |
Description | Impact Accelerator Award |
Amount | £15,000 (GBP) |
Funding ID | AH/X003094/1 |
Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2022 |
End | 08/2023 |
Description | Temple Quarter Engagement Fund |
Amount | £3,880 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of Bristol |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 05/2022 |
End | 04/2023 |
Description | University Enterprise Fellowship |
Amount | £15,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of Bristol |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 03/2022 |
End | 12/2023 |
Description | BSWN - Advisory and fund holder |
Organisation | Black South West Network |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | J BB has partnership working with Black South West Network, Bridging Histories and the St Pauls Community Forum, with BSWN acting as funding holder for externally generated income. RS and CG have discussed their project with representatives from Black South West network throughout. This was crucial to their decision to shift from a guided programme with the Citizen Researchers to one focused on facilitating their own research and interests, as it was feared our original plan could be considered extractive. They remain in dialogue with BSWN, who are keen to incorporate findings from our project into their online 'Un-Museum'. |
Collaborator Contribution | As above: Advisory Grant holder |
Impact | RS and CG work package - Better engagement with participants |
Start Year | 2022 |
Title | Decolonising Memory Augmented Reality Mobile Phone App |
Description | KJ worked the JM and CL to produce the Decolonising Memory Augmented Reality Mobile Phone App: The app is an interactive creative 'decolonised' trail around key sites in Bristol city centre and combines images and artwork, spoken word, sound and music. The app was created from materials developed through the 7 public workshops held as part of the Decolonising Memory project and was developed by The Cultural Assembly and is currently available on Android - download via the Google Playstore |
Type Of Technology | Webtool/Application |
Year Produced | 2023 |
Open Source License? | Yes |
Impact | This is early stage and impact has not yet been measured |
URL | https://www.bristol247.com/podcast/behind-the-headlines/deconstructing-bristols-colonial-history/ |
Description | Black and Minoritised Governor's Network |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | MAG or a member of the GMT research team, contribute to events organise and update participants to raise awareness and gain feedback. This approach has been beneficial as feedback have been very positive and our work contributes to the governors' action plans, thus increasing the chance of trial and adoption when finally completed. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Bridging Histories community engagement events |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | J BB and ambassador have organised more than 15 of our Bridging Histories community engagement events including exhibitions, festivals, poetry slams, community consultancy, unicornfest education pack and more. UKRI grant funded 12 Bridging Histories Ambassadors: 8 Bridging Histories Ambassadors of African Caribbean descent in Bristol. A number have joined following summer school workshop and St Paul's Forum group. One of the ambassadors, who was unemployed, has become co-director of Bridging Histories and is moving into a part-time paid role with Bridging Histories at University of Bristol as of April 2023. Co-Investigator Joanna Burch-Brown has been funded to set up Bridging Histories as a social enterprise / consultancy, which we understand will be the first spin-off enterprise from University of Bristol school of arts. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023 |
URL | https://bridginghistories.com/ |
Description | Bristol Cathedral |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | RS served on the advisory board as Bristol Cathedral conducted research into the links to slavery of all of those memorialised within the Cathedral. This culminated in a half-day workshop, and an exhibition in the Cathedral entitled 'All God's Children'. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Bristol GMT Network meetings |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | MAG run Bi-monthly meetings regularly attended by over 30 teachers, plus invited guest speakers /stakeholders with knowledge, expertise or ability to influence positively to the outcome of the research. This has contributed to knowledge sharing and collaborative endeavours. Teachers report being inspired the benefits are twofold: 1) some of the activities developed are tested in schools(this helps with refining output), 2) creation of a strong community of practice with sustained attendance. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | GMT Research Team |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | MAG Run a series of action research training drawing on reflective practice methodology to equip 16 global majority teachers with the skills to investigate issues pertinent to their own experiences and the school environment. We have produced a mapping of existing resources which will be made available via the GMT Network website (under construction) and currently developing a bank of resources with toolkit and CPD training in areas where we identified gaps. The outcome so far was been increase confidence in ability to generate evidence based solution to issues pertinent to GMT educators, parents, learners and other key stakeholders. The GMT researchers have all received Honorary Research Associate Status from the university of Bristol. A member of the team has recently been appointed as Headteacher in a secondary schools and highlighted the positive impact of being part of this group on her career development. Another teacher, who left the profession because of stress has since been appointed in a role which involves research and working with young people, She shared being part of the research group feeds her soul and has helped her move forward. Another important impact is we have a strong community of practice and various researchers and organisations have expressed interests in working with us. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | http://GMTNetwork.co.uk |
Description | Performance and Dance Workshops |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Jm, CL and KJ run a Series of public performances exploring dance as a form of expression for memorialisation of history. These engagement were also a way of gathering data that would inform the information on the App Decolonising Memory. The team conducted regular monthly workshops with individuals (citizens scientists /participants) interested in dance and memory, all of whom contributed to feeding information that led to the creation of the app. The team and the citizens scientists delivered public performances and workshops to a wider audience and gather feedback from these participants. There were 7 workshops, each events attracted between 20 to 100 participants. • Performance and dance workshop/tutorial at Bristol Harbour Festival 17th July 2022 (50th Anniversary), Trinity Stage. • Dance workshop/tutorial at the Community Launch of the World Re-Imagined Project Friday 12th August 2022 • Dance workshop/tutorial at the Emancipation Day Celebrations, The Bristol Beacon, Saturday 13th August 2022 • Dance workshop/tutorial at Bristol Cathedral Tuesday 23rd August 2022, 11am-1pm • Public performance of the memorial dance including with workshops participants from workshop held at Bristol Cathedral earlier in the day. College Green, held to mark UNESCO International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition- August 23rd 2022 6pm • Public performance of the memorial dance including workshop/tutorial for Bristol Futures Festival and University Welcome Week, Royal Fort Gardens, Thursday 22nd September 2022 • Public Talk (online): Institute for the Public Understanding of the Past public lecture series / Festival of Ideas York - Thursday 3rd November 2022 6pm CL has been invited a talk and dance performance at the Wells and Transatlantic Slavery Conference (public conference organised by Wells Cathedral, not academic). 16th March 2023. CL has been invited to deliver a creative workshop with visiting students from UEA on March 29th 2023. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://decolonisingmemory.co.uk/ |
Description | South West Anti-Racist Forum - Recruitment, retention and promotion of Black teachers in the South West |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | MAG chaired a panel discussion on the recruitment, retention and promotion of Black teachers in the South West. this is a strand in the work package 4 of the CRT research team. The panellist six included 3 members of the GMT Research team. Following the panel, one of the panellist Joined the GMT Network. The discussion and information about the GMT research received very positive feedback. We have been invited by one of the panellists to collaborate on research, and invite to share outcomes of our research by the main organiser. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | St Paul's Community Forum |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | J BB and a group of ambassadors created the St Pauls Community Forum. This provides a place for members to discuss issues pertinent to their locality. The forum meets weekly for "community conversations" People from all parts of St Pauls come together to explore the past, present and future of the area, and to lobby for a local vision to help future development be to the benefit of the local communities. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://bridginghistories.com/projects-events/st-pauls-neighbourhood-forum |