Listen to this Story!
An exhibition about children’s literature and Black Britain
‘Listen to this Story!’ is the first exhibition ever to focus exclusively on literature by and about Black people for a child audience, and it looks at this history over the course of more than two centuries through children’s poetry, theatre, textbooks, nursery rhymes, novels and picture books. The exhibition highlights and celebrates the contribution of Black people to the culture of Britain, shedding light on the ways that Black Britons have resisted oppression, persisted in creating a literature of their own, and insisted on the value of Black British literature and history for all readers.
Through archival materials from pioneering and contemporary authors and illustrators, including Grace Nichols, John Agard, Valerie Bloom, Grace Hallworth, Ifeoma Onyefulu, Errol Lloyd, Lucy Farfort and Ken Wilson-Max, as well as the published work of young Black Britons, we highlight the importance of community, identity and voice in encouraging the growth of children’s literature by and about Black Britons.
The exhibition is based on research by British Academy Global Professor of children’s literature, Karen Sands-O'Connor, and uses archival material from Newcastle University’s Special Collections and Archives and Seven Stories collections.
Whose History?
Windrush Generation
Now, these stories are more commonplace. K.N Chimbiri wrote The Story of the Windrush in 2018, and now leads workshops educating children and adults about this part of history. Here she is (images below) at the 2022 'Listen to this Story! exhibition at the City Library in Newcastle.
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K.N Chimbiri wrote The Story of the Windrush, and now leads workshops educating children and adults about this part of history.
K.N Chimbiri wrote The Story of the Windrush, and now leads workshops educating children and adults about this part of history.
K.N Chimbiri at the Listen to this Story! Exhibition in Newcastle City Library.
K.N Chimbiri at the Listen to this Story! Exhibition in Newcastle City Library.