The Old Royal Naval College, Greenwich, is delving into its rich and complex past, shining a light on the Black mariners that played a crucial role in its history. A new exhibition Black Greenwich Pensioners explores the hidden histories of the black Royal Navy personnel who formed one of Britain’s earliest black communities when they became pensioners at the Royal Hospital for Seaman on the site where the Old Royal Naval College stands on today.
Co-curated by Black British heritage consultant S.I. Martin, the fascinating exhibition looks at the presence and impact of the recorded Black communities which have been resident in Greenwich for over 200 years. Telling the stories of black seamen, some of whom were volunteers and others who were enslaved or impressed, the exhibition traces their dangerous and unpredictable lives in the 18th and 19th centuries. It will explore their diverse geographical origins, ranks and duties as well as their significant contribution to the development of Black revolutionary and abolitionist thought and writing.
Black Greenwich Pensioners runs from 3 October 2020 to 21 February 2021 .
